Abstract
Background
Fat transplantation supported by supplementation with ASCs has become a reliable procedure for treating soft tissue defects. However, the unpredictable survival rates for grafted fat remains a challenge with post-transplantation ischemia causing tissue loss. MiR126, which regulates VEGF signaling, is an endothelial cell-specific miRNA known to play an essential role in angiogenesis. We hypothesized that increased miR126 expression in grafted ASCs may promote fat survival within an autologous fat transfer model.
Methods
Rat adipose-derived stem cells were isolated, expanded ex vivo for three passages and then transduced with miR126. We used PCR to verify lentiviral transduction and ELISA to confirm VEGF expression. We then mixed autologous fat tissues from our rat model with transduced ASCs, augmented with a nonsense control or miR126 expression vector. These mixtures were used in the fat grafting procedure, completed via subcutaneous injection at three paravertebral points in each rat. Fat grafts were then harvested on days 4, 7, 14, and 28 post-transplant and evaluated for survival, neovascularization, and protein expression via western blot.
Results
VEGF expression levels in ASCs, Con-ASCs, and miR126-ASCs were not significantly different. However, miR126-ASCs experienced significantly improved survival on days 7, 14, and 28 when compared with the other groups. These ASCs also presented with the greatest capillary density on days 7, 14, and 28 post-transplantation as well as increased p-ERK and p-AKT expression when compared to the other groups.
Conclusion
This data suggests that miR126 augmentation of ASCs may help to enhance the survival and angiogenic capacity of transplanted fat tissues, and that this augmentation was not dependent on VEGF but rather the activation of the ERK/AKT pathway.
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Abbreviations
- ASCs:
-
Adipose-derived stem cells
- VEGF:
-
Vascular endothelial growth factor
- IL-10:
-
Anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10
- qRT-PCR:
-
Quantitative reverse transcriptional-Tim PCR
- ELISA:
-
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- PBS:
-
Phosphate buffered saline
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the East Hospital affiliated with Tongji University introduced a talent research startup fund (Grant Number DFRC2019008), and the featured clinical discipline project of Shanghai Pudong (Grant Number PWYts2021-07).
Funding
This work was supported by the East Hospital affiliated with Tongji University introduced a talent research startup fund (Grant Number DFRC2019008), and the featured clinical discipline project of Shanghai Pudong (Grant Number PWYts2021-07).
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XJ, HH, and BN performed the experiment. AL, LZ, and HJ designed the experimental technique. XJ and BN analyzed the data. XJ and HH wrote the paper.
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Jie, X., Hu, H., Nie, B. et al. Effects of miR126 Expressing Adipose-Derived Stem Cells on Fat Graft Survival and Angiogenesis. Aesth Plast Surg 47, 825–832 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-022-03077-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-022-03077-1