Three-dimensional bioprinting wound dressing containing fibroblasts and keratinocytes

• Grant number: 20/12937-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: September 05, 2021
• End date: September 04, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Thiago Antônio Moretti de Andrade
• Grantee: Thiago Antônio Moretti de Andrade
• Host Investigator: Stephanie Willerth
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa. Centro Universitário Hermínio Ometto (UNIARARAS). Fundação Hermínio Ometto (FHO). Araras , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Victoria (UVic), Canada

Abstract

Tissue engineering can produce relevant constructs for advancing the healing process of wounds to the skin. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has the unique ability to print cells and bioactive molecules, such as a bi-layered skin substitute consisting of a structurally organized construct in a layer-by-layer fashion with high resolution and accuracy. The "Willerth lab" has been working with Aspect Biosystems' novel RX1 bioprinter, that exposes cells to low shear stresses during the printing process, differentiating from traditional methods of 3D bioprinting. This system protects the cells and provides versatility during the printing process as its unique microfluidic printhead enables separate channels for the bioink and its associated cross-linker. Therefore, this printer can be used to develop and apply 3D bioprinting of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes bioink as a wound dressing in mice. After the bioprinted construct is produced, the cell viability will be confirmed. Then, the healing activity of bioprinted construct will be investigated from full-thickness skin excision that will be created on the mice's back. Then, the wound contraction and CD31, CK10, IL-1², IL-10, VEGF, TGF-²1 by Immunofluorescence will be evaluated. We hypothesize that the bioprinted constructs will induce faster and more effective healing in mice. (AU)