ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1663573
Application of BMSCs-coated PLGA/Type I Collagen Composite Mesh in Intraperitoneal Onlay Mesh Repair Using a Rat Ventral Incisional Hernia Model
Provisionally accepted
- 1Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- 2Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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Purpose: This study aimed to address the limitations of synthetic meshes in incisional hernia repair by developing a bioactive composite mesh combining poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), type I collagen, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Methods: The PLGA scaffolds, fabricated via freeze-drying, were modified with collagen to enhance biocompatibility and loaded with BMSCs to promote tissue regeneration. In vitro and in vivo evaluations in a rat ventral hernia model assessed biomechanical properties, anti-adhesion efficacy, and tissue integration. Results: The PLGA-Collagen I-BMSCs mesh exhibited superior anti-adhesion performance, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration by 73.3%, and enhanced neovascularization compared to commercial meshes (Sepramesh™ and Parietex™). BMSCs modulated TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling to mitigate fibrosis, while collagen alignment improved mechanical recovery. The composite mesh degraded at a rate matching tissue regeneration, with 10% PLGA maintaining structural integrity for 20 weeks. Histological analysis revealed organized collagen deposition and minimal adhesions (Nair grade 0–1 in 100% of cases). Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of the PLGA-Collagen I-BMSCs composite as an innovative intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) solution, offering mechanical stability, anti-adhesive properties, and regenerative bioactivity. This strategy shifts hernia repair from passive support to active tissue regeneration, providing a foundation for next-generation hernia repair materials.
Keywords: IPOM, BMSCs, PLGA mesh, Anti-adhesion, Tissue integration
Received: 10 Jul 2025; Accepted: 20 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 He, Pan, Li, Qi, Zhu and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Fangjie Zhang, zhangfangjie@hospital.westlake.edu.cn
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.