Controlled release of dextrin-conjugated growth factors to support growth and differentiation of neural stem cells

Elaine L. Ferguson; Sameza Naseer; Lydia C. Powell; Joseph Hardwicke; Fraser I. Young; Bangfu Zhu; Qian Liu; Bing Song; David W. Thomas

Stem Cell Research (Dec 2018)

Controlled release of dextrin-conjugated growth factors to support growth and differentiation of neural stem cells

Elaine L. Ferguson,
Sameza Naseer,
Lydia C. Powell,
Joseph Hardwicke,
Fraser I. Young,
Bangfu Zhu,
Qian Liu,
Bing Song,
David W. Thomas

Affiliations

Elaine L. Ferguson: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, Cardiff University, 10 Museum Place, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 3BG, UK; Corresponding author at: Advanced Therapies Group, Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK.
Sameza Naseer: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK
Lydia C. Powell: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, Cardiff University, 10 Museum Place, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 3BG, UK
Joseph Hardwicke: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, Cardiff University, 10 Museum Place, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 3BG, UK
Fraser I. Young: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, Cardiff University, 10 Museum Place, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 3BG, UK
Bangfu Zhu: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK
Qian Liu: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK
Bing Song: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, Cardiff University, 10 Museum Place, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 3BG, UK
David W. Thomas: Oral and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK; Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, Cardiff University, 10 Museum Place, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 3BG, UK

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 33
pp. 69 – 78

Abstract

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An essential aspect of stem cell in vitro culture and in vivo therapy is achieving sustained levels of growth factors to support stem cell survival and expansion, while maintaining their multipotency and differentiation potential. This study investigated the ability of dextrin (~74,000 g/mol; 27.8 mol% succinoylation) conjugated to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF; or FGF-2) (3.9 and 6.7% w/w protein loading, respectively) to support the expansion and differentiation of stem cells in vitro via sustained, controllable growth factor release. Supplementation of mouse neural stem cells (mNSCs) with dextrin-growth factor conjugates led to greater and prolonged proliferation compared to unbound EGF/bFGF controls, with no detectable apoptosis after 7 days of treatment. Immunocytochemical detection of neural precursor (nestin) and differentiation (Olig2, MAP2, GFAP) markers verified that controlled release of dextrin-conjugated growth factors preserves stem cell properties of mNSCs for up to 7 days. These results show the potential of dextrin-growth factor conjugates for localized delivery of bioactive therapeutic agents to support stem cell expansion and differentiation, and as an adjunct to direct neuronal repair. Keywords: Polymer therapeutics, Biodegradable polymers, Growth factors, Neural stem cells, Controlled release

Published in Stem Cell Research

ISSN: 1873-5061 (Print); 1876-7753 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/stem-cell-research

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