Dermal fibroblast

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by skin fibrosis, internal organ involvement and vascular dropout. We previously developed and phenotypically characterized an in vitro 3D skin-like tissue model of SSc, and now analyze the transcriptomic (scRNA-seq) and epigenetic (scATAC-seq) characteristics of this model at single-cell resolution. SSc 3D skin-like tissues were fabricated using autologous fibroblasts, macrophages, and plasma from SSc patients or healthy control (HC) donors. SSc tissues displayed increased dermal thickness and contractility, as well as increased α-SMA staining...

PURPOSE: Due to the multilayered structure of the skin tissue, the architecture of its engineered scaffolds needs to be improved. In the present study, 45s5 bioglass nanoparticles were selected to induce fibroblast proliferation and their protein secretion, although cobalt ions were added to increase their potency. METHODS: A 3-layer scaffold was designed as polyurethane (PU) - polycaprolactone (PCL)/ collagen/nanoparticles-PCL/collagen. The scaffolds examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), tensile, surface hydrophilicity and weight loss...

Chronic non-healing wounds negatively impact on quality of life and are a significant financial drain on health systems. The risk of infection that exacerbates co-morbidities in patients necessitates regular application of wound care. Understanding mechanisms underlying impaired wound healing are therefore a key priority to inform effective new generation treatments. Here, we demonstrate that 14-3-3-mediated suppression of signaling through ROCK is a critical mechanism that inhibits the healing of diabetic wounds...

We developed a 96-well plate assay which allows fast, reproducible, and high-throughput generation of 3D cardiac rings around a deformable optically transparent hydrogel (polyethylene glycol [PEG]) pillar of known stiffness. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, mixed with normal human adult dermal fibroblasts in an optimized 3:1 ratio, self-organized to form ring-shaped cardiac constructs. Immunostaining showed that the fibroblasts form a basal layer in contact with the glass, stabilizing the muscular fiber above...

The bacterial nanocellulose (BnC) membranes were produced extracellularly by a novel aerobic acetic acid bacterium Komagataeibacter melomenusus. The BnC was modified in situ by adding carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) into the culture media, obtaining a BnC-CMC product with denser fibril arrangement, improved rehydration ratio and elasticity in comparison to BnC. The proteolytic enzyme bromelain (Br) and antimicrobial peptide nisin (N) were immobilized to BnC matrix by ex situ covalent binding and/or adsorption...

The survival rate of flap is a crucial factor for determining the success of tissue repair and reconstruction. Flap transplantation surgery often leads to ischemic and reperfusion injury, causing apoptosis and tissue necrosis, which significantly reduces the survival rate of flap. To address this issue, we developed a porcine skin decellularized matrix gel nanocomplex loaded with alprostadil (Alp) in Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) called Alp@PB-Gel. This gel not only maintained the cell affinity of the extracellular scaffold but also exhibited a high degree of plasticity...

In people living with diabetes, impaired wound healing is a major concern as the formation of ulcerated wounds can drastically reduce both the effectiveness of the healing process and the quality of life of the patient. The healing of dermal wounds in particular involves a patient's fibroblasts building up a strong extracellular matrix of mostly collagen I and collagen III fibers, which the cells of diabetic patients struggle to do. Extracellular matrix stiffness, and growth substrate stiffness in general, have already been shown to have a significant effect on the growth and development of already existent cells, and in diabetic dermal fibroblasts, morphological and physiological characteristics associated with the healing process appear to be altered from their healthy state...

The advent of 3D bioprinting technologies in tissue engineering has unlocked the potential to fabricate in vitro tissue models, overcoming the constraints associated with the shape limitations of preformed scaffolds. However, achieving an accurate mimicry of complex tissue microenvironments, encompassing cellular and biochemical components, and orchestrating their supramolecular assembly to form hierarchical structures while maintaining control over tissue formation, is crucial for gaining deeper insights into tissue repair and regeneration...

Some authors have suggested that the fibroblasts of the nail mesenchyme (onychofibroblasts) can be distinguished from skin fibroblasts by their high expression of CD10. My 2015 study documented the presence of a relatively sparse CD34+/CD10+ dendritic subpopulation in the dermis and hypodermis of the matrix. For some time now, my hypothesis has been that these interstitial dendritic mesenchymal cells of the matrix correspond to telocytes. Telocytes have been described as peculiar interstitial dendritic cells present in the mesenchymal tissue of numerous organs, including the skin, but their presence and characteristics in the nail unit have not been explored...

Dysregulation of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFRs) signaling has been associated with breast cancer, yet employing FGFR-targeted delivery systems to improve the efficacy of cytotoxic agents is still sparsely exploited. Herein, we report four new bi-functional ruthenium-peptide conjugates (RuPCs) with FGFR-targeting and pH-dependent releasing abilities, envisioning the selective delivery of cytotoxic Ru complexes to FGFR(+)-breast cancer cells, and controlled activation at the acidic tumoral microenvironment...

Chronic non-healing cutaneous wounds represent a major burden to patients and healthcare providers worldwide, emphasising the continued unmet need for credible and efficacious therapeutic approaches for wound healing. We have recently shown the potential for collagen peptides to promote proliferation and migration during cutaneous wound healing. In the present study, we demonstrate that the application of porcine-derived collagen peptides significantly increases keratinocyte and dermal fibroblast expression of integrin α2β1 and activation of an extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK)-focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signalling cascade during wound closure in vitro...

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune condition that causes non-scarring hair loss on the scalp or other hair-bearing surfaces. Various signalling molecules regulate the hair cycle and hair follicle regeneration. These include genes, growth factors, nuclear receptors, cytokines, and subcellular signalling pathways. Growth factors can cause the vascular endothelium and dermal fibroblasts to proliferate, extend the anagen phase, and delay the initiation of catagen in the hair follicle, thereby promoting hair growth...

BACKGROUND: With the rise in interest and demand for body contouring, beauty devices have continuously developed. Suction can aid in increasing the rate of fat breakdown by inducing a massage-like effect, thereby increasing blood flow. Moreover, radiofrequency (RF) can boost fibroblast activity and help reduce cellulite. In addition, electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) can use electrical stimulation to induce muscle contraction, leading to an athletic, and skin elasticity-increasing effect...

The beta-amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is well known for its role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Recent publications, including our own, have demonstrated a role for this enzyme in other chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of BACE1 in the autoimmune disease systemic sclerosis (SSc). BACE1 protein levels were elevated in SSc patient skin. Inhibition of BACE1 with small molecule inhibitors or siRNA blocked SSc and fibrotic stimuli mediated fibroblast activation...

Fibronectin serves as a platform to guide and facilitate deposition of collagen and fibrillin microfibrils. During development of fibrotic diseases, altered fibronectin deposition in the extracellular matrix (ECM) is generally an early event. Following this, dysregulated organization of fibrillins and fibrillar collagens occurs. Because fibronectin is an essential orchestrator of healthy ECM, perturbation of its ECM-organizational capacity may be involved in development of fibrosis. To investigate this, we employed recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) as a disease model with progressive, severe dermal fibrosis...

In this work, bioaccessibility tests for rare earth elements (REEs), Th, and U in marine sediment were carried out, in addition to complementary tests for cytotoxicity and bioaccumulation for the elements La, Ce, Eu, and Gd. The evaluation of human health risk through dermal absorption and oral ingestion was performed using the hazard quotient (HQ). According to the gastric digestion simulation (SBET), it was observed that the elements Ce and Nd exhibited higher absorption capacities in the human body (> 2 µg g-1 )...

Injectable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) is used for the correction of shallow to deep nasolabial fold contour deficiencies, cheek wrinkles, and other facial wrinkles. In contrast to hyaluronan (HA) fillers, PLLA-SCA has a biostimulatory effect by activating resident fibroblasts to produce collagen, but the mechanisms are not known in detail at the molecular level. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the molecular effects of PLLA-SCA in a comprehensive in vitro study. Since PLLA-SCA-dependent collagen production in fibroblasts depends on the interaction with macrophages, we generated novel macrophage-containing 3D skin models...

RATIONALE: The chronic lung disease bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most severe complication of extreme prematurity. BPD results in impaired lung alveolar and vascular development and long-term respiratory morbidity, for which only supportive therapies exist. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) improve lung structure and function in experimental BPD. Results of clinical trials with MSCs for many disorders do not yet match the promising preclinical studies...

Skin aging, a complex physiological progression marked by collagen degradation, poses substantial challenges in dermatology. Recombinant collagen emerges as a potential option for skin revitalization, yet its application is constrained by difficulties in forming hydrogels. We have for the first time developed a highly bioactive Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride (THPC)-crosslinked recombinant collagen hydrogel implant for aging skin rejuvenation. THPC demonstrated superior crosslinking efficiency compared to traditional agents such as EDC/NHS and BDDE, achieving complete recombinant collagen crosslinking at minimal concentrations and effectively inducing hydrogel formation...

Introduction: Exposure to chronic, low-dose UV irradiation (UVR) can lead to premature ageing of the skin. Understanding which proteins are affected by acute UVR and photo-dynamically produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) could help to inform strategies to delay photoageing. Conventional biochemical analyses can be used to characterize UVR/ROS-induced damage on a protein-by-protein basis and we have previously shown using SDS-PAGE that collagen I and plasma fibronectin are respectively resistant and susceptible to physiological doses of UVR...