Improved chondrogenic performance with protective tracheal design of Chitosan membrane surrounding 3D-printed trachea

Abstract

In recent tracheal tissue engineering, limitations in cartilage reconstruction, caused by immature delivery of chondrocyte-laden components, have been reported beyond the complete epithelialization and integration of the tracheal substitutes with the host tissue. In an attempt to overcome such limitations, this article introduces a protective design of tissue-engineered trachea (TraCHIM) composed of a chitosan-based nanofiber membrane (CHIM) and a 3D-printed biotracheal construct. The CHIM was created from chitosan and polycaprolactone (PCL) using an electrospinning process. Upon addition of chitosan to PCL, the diameter of electrospun fibers became thinner, allowing them to be stacked more closely, thereby improving its mechanical properties. Chitosan also enhances the hydrophilicity of the membranes, preventing them from slipping and delaminating over the cell-laden bioink of the biotracheal graft, as well as protecting the construct. Two weeks after implantation in Sprague–Dawley male rats, the group with the TraCHIM exhibited a higher number of chondrocytes, with enhanced chondrogenic performance, than the control group without the membrane. This study successfully demonstrates enhanced chondrogenic performance of TraCHIM in vivo. The protective design of TraCHIM opens a new avenue in engineered tissue research, which requires faster tissue formation from 3D biodegradable materials, to achieve complete replacement of diseased tissue.

Natural Hydrogel-Based Bio-Inks for 3D Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering: A Review

“…This thermo- and pH-responsive chitosan-based bio-ink was shown to present antibacterial activity when formulated with zinc oxide nanoparticles, while also retaining the osteoconductivity of the chitosan-based bio-ink hydrogel. Chitosan-based bio-inks can be used to resolve limitations in cartilage reconstruction that characterize tracheal tissue engineering, such as the poor delivery of chondrocyte-laden components [ 337 ]. According to the study by Kim et al, a chitosan-based nanofiber membrane ( Figure 10 ) composed of chitosan and polycaprolactone facilitates an improvement of the mechanical properties of chitosan but also demonstrates enhanced chondrogenic performance when used in the fabrication of a tissue-engineered trachea.…”

“…According to the study by Kim et al, a chitosan-based nanofiber membrane ( Figure 10 ) composed of chitosan and polycaprolactone facilitates an improvement of the mechanical properties of chitosan but also demonstrates enhanced chondrogenic performance when used in the fabrication of a tissue-engineered trachea. Indeed, the implantation of the chitosan design to a tissue-engineered trachea in male rats showed an elevated number of chondrocytes within the implanted model when compared to the control group without the proposed membrane [ 337 ].…”

“… ( A ) 3D-bioprinted tracheal structure (biotrachea) obtained with an electrospun chitosan-based nanofiber membrane (CHIM). Figures ( B – E ) denote the CHIM, 3D-printed PCL frame, biotrachea, and the biotrachea with CHIM, respectively (reprinted from Kim et al, 2021 [ 337 ]. Copyright © 2022 Springer Nature under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License).…”

Marine Biopolymers as Bioactive Functional Ingredients of Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications

“…The nanofibrous membrane was assembled as a protective layer on the biotracheal graft to protect the collagen bioink, enhancing cartilage reconstruction. In vivo implantation in male Sprague–Dawley rats for two weeks demonstrated that the prepared biotracheal scaffold decreased the risk of tracheal collapse, and exhibited improved chondrogenic performance, indicating that such protective tissue-engineered tracheal grafts show great potential for cartilage regeneration [ 207 ].…”

Three-Dimensional Printing Strategies for Irregularly Shaped Cartilage Tissue Engineering: Current State and Challenges

“…The composite material obtained by adding chitosan to PCL has been used for electrospinning, which can reduce the diameter of electrospun fibers and improve the mechanical properties of the scaffold ( Kim et al, 2021 ). To provide 3D-printed trachea with improved structure, the sacrificial layer technique has also been used in printing of tracheal cartilage.…”