Scholarlink

Background <p>Human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hG-MSCs) are promising candidates for cell-based therapy due to their immunomodulatory ability. Culturing in 3D hydrogels has emerged as a promising strategy to improve cell survival in the host and enhance clinical efficacy. This study assesses how embedding hG-MSCs in “VitroGel<sup>®</sup> MSC” hydrogel affects their immunomodulatory profile in various inflammatory environments, compared with conventional 2D cultures.</p> Methods <p>hG-MSCs from six donors were either 3D-embedded in commercially available “VitroGel<sup>®</sup> MSC”, cultured on “VitroGel<sup>®</sup> MSC”, or in 2D on tissue culture plastic under resting conditions or in the presence of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Metabolic activity and cell viability were assessed by MTT assay and live/dead staining, respectively. Gene expression of IL-8, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO)-1, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, and TNF-stimulated gene (TSG)-6 were analyzed by RT-qPCR, and IL-8 and prostaglandin E<sub>2</sub> (PGE<sub>2</sub>) protein levels were determined by ELISA.</p> Results <p>Metabolic activity was reduced in 3D-embedded hG-MSCs independently of the environment, but only in the presence of IFN-γ and TNF-α, a slight decrease in cell viability was observed. Hydrogel-embedded and -exposed hG-MSCs exhibited increased IL-8 expression under resting and IFN-γ conditions, and consistently upregulated COX-2 and PGE<sub>2</sub>. The immunomodulatory mediator TSG-6 was elevated in 3D-embedded hG-MSCs, while the expression of IDO-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 upon transition to 3D hydrogel was differently altered depending on the inflammatory environments.</p> Conclusions <p>These results demonstrate that 3D microenvironments reshape hG-MSC immunomodulatory potential, underscoring the relevance of 3D models for optimizing MSC-based therapies.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

3D-embedding of human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in “VitroGel® MSC” hydrogel alters their immune mediator expression under inflammatory conditions

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月21日

查看全文
  • Katharina Schwarz,
  • Oliwia Miłek,
  • Merjem Bećirović,
  • Christian Behm,
  • Karl Heinrich Schneider,
  • Oleh Andrukhov

摘要

Background

Human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hG-MSCs) are promising candidates for cell-based therapy due to their immunomodulatory ability. Culturing in 3D hydrogels has emerged as a promising strategy to improve cell survival in the host and enhance clinical efficacy. This study assesses how embedding hG-MSCs in “VitroGel® MSC” hydrogel affects their immunomodulatory profile in various inflammatory environments, compared with conventional 2D cultures.

Methods

hG-MSCs from six donors were either 3D-embedded in commercially available “VitroGel® MSC”, cultured on “VitroGel® MSC”, or in 2D on tissue culture plastic under resting conditions or in the presence of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Metabolic activity and cell viability were assessed by MTT assay and live/dead staining, respectively. Gene expression of IL-8, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO)-1, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, and TNF-stimulated gene (TSG)-6 were analyzed by RT-qPCR, and IL-8 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) protein levels were determined by ELISA.

Results

Metabolic activity was reduced in 3D-embedded hG-MSCs independently of the environment, but only in the presence of IFN-γ and TNF-α, a slight decrease in cell viability was observed. Hydrogel-embedded and -exposed hG-MSCs exhibited increased IL-8 expression under resting and IFN-γ conditions, and consistently upregulated COX-2 and PGE2. The immunomodulatory mediator TSG-6 was elevated in 3D-embedded hG-MSCs, while the expression of IDO-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 upon transition to 3D hydrogel was differently altered depending on the inflammatory environments.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that 3D microenvironments reshape hG-MSC immunomodulatory potential, underscoring the relevance of 3D models for optimizing MSC-based therapies.