A barrier against reactive oxygen species: chitosan/acellular dermal matrix scaffold enhances stem cell retention and improves cutaneous wound healing

BACKGROUND: Stem cell therapies have gained great attention for providing novel solutions for treatment of various injuries and diseases due to stem cells’ self-renewal, ability to differentiate into various cell types, and favorite paracrine function. Nevertheless, the low retention of transplanted stem cell still limits their clinical applications such as in wound healing in view of an induced harsh microenvironment rich in reactive oxygen species (ROS) during inflammatory reactions. METHODS: Herein, a novel chitosan/acellular dermal matrix (CHS/ADM) stem cell delivery system is developed, which is of great ROS scavenging activity and significantly attenuates inflammatory response. RESULT: Under ROS microenvironment, this stem cell delivery system acts as a barrier, effectively scavenging an amount of ROS and protecting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the oxidative stress. It notably regulates intracellular ROS level in MSCs and reduces ROS-induced cellular death. Most importantly, such MSCs delivery system significantly enhances in vivo transplanted stem cell retention, promotes the vessel growth, and accelerates wound healing. CONCLUSIONS: This novel delivery system, which overcomes the limitations of conventional plain collagen-based delivery system in lacking of ROS-environmental responsive mechanisms, demonstrates a great potential use in stem cell therapies in wound healing.