Vocal fold injury and repair in the voice clinic

• Grant number: 10/11750-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: January 16, 2011
• End date: January 15, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Gisele Gotardi de Oliveira
• Grantee: Gisele Gotardi de Oliveira
• Host Investigator: Nathan V. Welham
• Host Institution: Centro de Estudos da Voz (CEV). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), United States

Abstract

Vocal fold scarring is the most common cause of persistent dysphonia and poor voice. Current treatments for vocal fold scarring are not consistent and little effective, requiring multiple interventions to obtain any satisfactory improvement. New approaches to treating and regenerating the scarred VF are needed. Emerging work in the area of tissue engineering has shown early promise and is an area of active investigation at several laboratories internationally. Purpose: The goal of this research plan is to develop and optimize a VF decellularization-based tissue engineering strategy for the replacement of chronically scarred vocal fold tissues. Methods: We will compare native study VF mucosa samples, decellularized ECM scaffolds and repopulated ECM scaffolds. Scaffolds will be harvested at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post cell seeding. We will perform qRT-PCR for expression of selected gene transcripts. We will perform histology and ICC on samples for from each experimental condition to confirm decellularization and successful cellular repopulation, and examine cell migration, proliferation and apoptosis during scaffold repopulation. Results: results analysis of the following data will be presented: relative expression of each gene transcript of interest; number of positive cell nuclei per mm2 in the superficial, intermediate and deep scaffold regions; percentage of Ki-67 positive cells per mm2 across the entire scaffold; percentage of TUNEL positive cells per mm2 across the entire scaffold We will analyze the above data using repeated measures ANOVA, with experimental condition and time point as fixed effects. Confirmatory analyses for decellularization and repopulation efficiency (immunoblotting and IHC) will be reported qualitatively as presence/absence and distribution (IHC) of the protein, glycan or cell nucleus of interest. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LI, QIYAO; CHANG, ZHEN; OLIVEIRA, GISELE; XIONG, MAIYER; SMITH, LLOYD M.; FREY, BRIAN L.; WELHAM, NATHAN V.. Protein turnover during in vitro tissue engineering. Biomaterials, v. 81, p. 104-113, MAR 2016. (10/11750-2)