(261e) Biodegradable and Implantable Platform for Wireless Electrical Stimulation of Neural Stem Cells
AIChE Annual Meeting
2022
2022 Annual Meeting
Materials Engineering and Sciences Division
Biomaterial Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering I
Tuesday, November 15, 2022 - 9:12am to 9:30am
The inadequate availability of endogenous NSC in the CNS and lack of in-depth understanding of cellular mechanisms also limits the outcomes.Alternatively, exogeneous NSC, which can be derived from other stem cell types (i.e. human induced pluripotent stem cells, hiPSC), are able to differentiate into major cell types of CNS (i.e. neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes), and can be transplanted to enhance regeneration, repair and recovery of CNS.8-12 However, our current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of NSC differentiation and fate commitment is still limited. Moreover, transplanted NSC demonstrated limited viability, proliferation and migration behavior, which create additional challenges and require further investigation to unravel the mechanisms.
The development of an implantable and biodegradable flexible electronic platform possessing 3D microstructure that can enable precise/accurate, local, and spatial wireless electrical stimulation (WES) to control NSC differentiation and fate commitment can be an advancement over traditionally used ES materials and approaches. Therefore, in this study, we developed a conductive graphene antenna integrated flexible PLLA/PLGA substrate as biodegradable and implantable platform to control NSC behavior using WES.
The fabrication of the wireless platform was conducted by using a novel approach based on our published and patented work.13-14 This room temperature operated approach involves formation of graphene circuits on pre-patterned molds using microfluidics followed by subsequent circuit transfer by simple polymer casting. We apply finite element analysis using COMSOL to design the antenna and simulate frequency characteristics. The structure and integrity of the wireless platform was assessed via scanning electron microscopy. The conductivity/sheet resistance of the graphene antennas were evaluated via 4-point probe measurement. The functionality of the array was tested using a light-emitting diode electrically connected to the wireless array as a visual indicator in PBS (pH 7.4 at 37 °C) mimicking cell culture using a waveform/function generator, oscilloscope, and network analyzer. The frequency characteristics and selective driving of each individual multi-turn coils in the array will be assessed via the network analyzer. The degradation behavior of the wireless platform was also observed in PBS (pH 7.4 at 37 °C) over time.
The NSC were seeded on the wireless platforms and attachment, growth and cell viability were evaluated via immunocytochemical (ICC) staining and live/dead cell assays. Following the cell seeding, different WES parameters (i.e., voltage and frequency) was applied to evaluate the differentiation profile under different WES conditions.The NSC differentiation was investigated via ICC, ELISA, RT-PCR and Western Blot (WB) using specific markers, antibodies and primers such as Nestin, Sox1, Tuj1, MAP2, neurofilaments markers, SYP, TUBB3 and GAP43 antibodies and primers.
Our results indicated that application of different WES conditions via biodegradable wireless platforms influenced the expression of markers associated with neuronal, astrocyte and oligodendrocyte phenotypes, suggesting that WES can be used to control NSC differentiation and fate commitment. In conclusion, successfully developed biodegradable and implantable wireless platform has the potential to be used to control implanted NSC behavior using localized WES. However, in depth mechanistic approach is needed for future applications.
References:
- Gooch, C. L.; Pracht, E.; Borenstein, A. R., The burden of neurological disease in the United States: A summary report and call to action. Ann Neurol 2017, 81 (4), 479-484.
- Collaborators, G. U. N. D., Burden of Neurological Disorders Across the US From 1990-2017: A Global Burden of Disease Study. JAMA Neurology 2021, 78 (2), 165-176.
- Chen, G.; Wang, Y.; Xu, Z.; Fang, F.; Xu, R.; Wang, Y.; Hu, X.; Fan, L.; Liu, H., Neural stem cell-like cells derived from autologous bone mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of patients with cerebral palsy. J Transl Med 2013, 11, 21-21.
- Feldman, E. L.; Boulis, N. M.; Hur, J.; Johe, K.; Rutkove, S. B.; Federici, T.; Polak, M.; Bordeau, J.; Sakowski, S. A.; Glass, J. D., Intraspinal neural stem cell transplantation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: phase 1 trial outcomes. Ann Neurol 2014, 75 (3), 363-373.
- Salewski, R. P.; Mitchell, R. A.; Shen, C.; Fehlings, M. G., Transplantation of neural stem cells clonally derived from embryonic stem cells promotes recovery after murine spinal cord injury. Stem Cells Dev 2015, 24 (1), 36-50.
- Tang, Y.; Wang, J.; Lin, X.; Wang, L.; Shao, B.; Jin, K.; Wang, Y.; Yang, G.-Y., Neural stem cell protects aged rat brain from ischemia-reperfusion injury through neurogenesis and angiogenesis. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2014, 34 (7), 1138-1147.
- Zhang, W.; Gu, G.-J.; Shen, X.; Zhang, Q.; Wang, G.-M.; Wang, P.-J., Neural stem cell transplantation enhances mitochondrial biogenesis in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's diseaseâlike pathology. Neurobiology of Aging 2015, 36 (3), 1282-1292.
- Motamed, S.; Del Borgo, M. P.; Zhou, K.; Kulkarni, K.; Crack, P. J.; Merson, T. D.; Aguilar, M.-I.; Finkelstein, D. I.; Forsythe, J. S., Migration and Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells Diverted From the Subventricular Zone by an Injectable Self-Assembling β-Peptide Hydrogel. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 2019, 7 (315).
- Galiakberova, A. A.; Dashinimaev, E. B., Neural Stem Cells and Methods for Their Generation From Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in vitro. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 2020, 8 (815).
- Decimo, I.; Bifari, F.; Krampera, M.; Fumagalli, G., Neural stem cell niches in health and diseases. Curr Pharm Des 2012, 18 (13), 1755-1783.
- Grade, S.; Götz, M., Neuronal replacement therapy: previous achievements and challenges ahead. npj Regenerative Medicine 2017, 2 (1), 29.
- Ottoboni, L.; von Wunster, B.; Martino, G., Therapeutic Plasticity of Neural Stem Cells. Frontiers in Neurology 2020, 11 (148).
- Uz, M.; Jackson, K.; Donta, M. S.; Jung, J.; Lentner, M. T.; Hondred, J. A.; Claussen, J. C.; Mallapragada, S. K., Fabrication of High-resolution Graphene-based Flexible Electronics via Polymer Casting. Scientific Reports 2019, 9 (1), 10595.
- Uz, M.; Lentner, M. T.; Jackson, K.; Donta, M. S.; Jung, J.; Hondred, J.; Mach, E.; Claussen, J.; Mallapragada, S. K., Fabrication of Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional High-Resolution Binder-Free Graphene Circuits Using a Microfluidic Approach for Sensor Applications. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2020, 12 (11), 13529-13539.