AUTHOR=Zhang Daxu , Wang Zhanbo , Ma Lianjun , Xu Lijuan , Fan Suna , Su Yinan , Shi Xiaonan , Hu Jingjing , Zhao Shuo , Li WeiLong , Linghu Enqiang , Yan Li 

TITLE=Local injection of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in silk fibroin solution on the regeneration of lower esophageal sphincter in an animal model of GERD

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2023.993741

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2023.993741

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=A few of tissue engineering techniques utilizing adult stem cells and biomaterials are
currently being explored to regenerate vessel, cardiac muscle, bladder and intestine.
However, there were few reports on the regeneration of Lower Esophageal Sphincter
(LES), which was associated with the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). This
study aimed to determine whether Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) combined
with regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) solution could regenerate the LES. In vitro, the
ADSCs were isolated, identified and then were cultured with an established smooth
muscular induction system. In vivo, in the experimental groups, CM-Dil labeled ADSCs
or induced ADSCs mixed with RSF solution were injected into the LES of rats after the
establishment of animal model of GERD respectively. Results showed that ADSCs
could be induced into smooth muscular-like cells with the expression of calponin, haldesmon, a-smooth muscle actin and smooth muscle-myosin heavy chain in vitro.
In vivo, the thickness of LES of the experiment rats were much thicker than those in the
controlled groups. This result indicated that ADSCs mixed with RSF solution might
contribute to the regeneration of the LES, thus reduce the occurrence of the GERD.