Project description:ImportancePatients with scarred vocal folds, whether congenitally or after phonosurgery, often exhibit dysphonia that negatively affects daily life and is difficult to treat. The autologous adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction (ADSVF) is a readily accessible source of cells with angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and regenerative properties.ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and tolerability of local injections of autologous ADSVF in patients with scarred vocal folds.Design, setting, and participantsCELLCORDES (Innovative Treatment for Scarred Vocal Cords by Local Injection of Autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction) is a prospective, open-label, single-arm, single-center, nonrandomized controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up and patient enrollment from April 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017. Eight patients with severe dysphonia attributable to vocal fold scarring associated with a congenital malformation or resulting from microsurgical sequelae (voice handicap index score >60 of 120) completed the study. Data analysis was performed from September 1, 2018, to January 1, 2019.InterventionsInjection of ADSVF into 1 or 2 vocal folds.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcomes were feasibility and the number and severity of adverse events associated with ADSVF-based therapy. The secondary outcomes were changes in vocal assessment, videolaryngostroboscopy, self-evaluation of dysphonia, and quality of life at 1, 6, and 12 months after cell therapy.ResultsSeven women and 1 man (mean [SD] age, 44.6 [10.4] years) were enrolled in this study. Adverse events associated with liposuction and ADSVF injection occurred; most of them resolved spontaneously. One patient received minor treatment to drain local bruising, and another experienced a minor contour defect at the liposuction site. At 12 months, the voice handicap index score was improved in all patients, with a mean (SD) improvement from baseline of 40.1 (21.5) points. Seven patients (88%) were considered to be responders, defined as improvement by 18 points or more in the voice handicap index score (the minimum clinically important difference).Conclusions and relevanceThe findings suggest that autologous ADSVF injection in scarred vocal folds is feasible and tolerable. The findings require confirmation in a randomized clinical trial with a larger population.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02622464.
Project description:The goal of this study was to characterize the vocal folds microstructure and elasticity using nonlinear laser scanning microscopy and atomic force microscopy-based indentation, respectively. As a pilot study, the vocal folds of fourteen rats were unilaterally injured by full removal of lamina propria; the uninjured folds of the same animals served as controls. The area fraction of collagen fibrils was found to be greater in scarred tissues two months after injury than the uninjured controls. A novel mathematical model was also proposed to relate collagen concentration and tissue bulk modulus. This work presents a first step towards systematic investigation of microstructural and mechanical characteristics in scarred vocal fold tissue.
Project description:Mesenchymal stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for perianal Crohn's fistulas refractory to conventional therapy, which are an extremely morbid complication and a true therapeutic challenge. Autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (ADSVF) is an easily accessible source of cells with angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and regenerative properties. Here, we describe a case involving a patient with severe perianal Crohn's fistulas refractory to the best medical and surgical practices who received local treatment with ADSVF and microfat. This patient was first examined under anesthesia with drainage via seton placement; 1 week later, on a single day, he underwent adipose tissue extraction, ADSVF and microfat preparation, and the local injection of 14 ml of microfat and approximately 20 million viable ADSVF cells into the soft tissue around the fistulas. No serious adverse events were observed. At the first endpoint at 12 weeks, the fistula had clinically healed with complete re-epithelialization of all external openings; no fistula tract was detected on magnetic resonance imaging, confirming this finding. This good clinical outcome was sustained at 48 weeks and was associated with a reduction in the severity of perianal disease and an improvement in quality of life. The current case highlights the therapeutic potential of a new cellular treatment for Crohn's patients with refractory perianal fistulas based on the innovative hypothesis that the combined action of ADSVF in association with the trophic characteristics of a microfat graft could be beneficial for this condition. TRIAL REGISTRATION:EudraCT number 201325, NCT02520843 . Registered on 5 August 2015.
Project description:Following injury, pathologically activated vocal fold fibroblasts (VFFs) can engage in disordered extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, leading to VF fibrosis and impaired voice function. Given the importance of scar VFFs to phenotypically appropriate in vitro modeling of VF fibrosis, we pursued detailed characterization of scar VFFs obtained from surgically injured rat VF mucosae, compared with those obtained from experimentally naïve, age-matched tissue. Scar VFFs initially exhibited a myofibroblast phenotype characterized by increased proliferation, increased Col1a1 transcription and collagen, type I synthesis, increased Acta2 transcription and ?-smooth muscle actin synthesis, and enhanced contractile function. These features were most distinct at passage 1 (P1); we observed a coalescence of the scar and naïve VFF phenotypes at later passages. An empirical Bayes statistical analysis of the P1 cell transcriptome identified 421 genes that were differentially expressed by scar, compared with naïve, VFFs. These genes were primarily associated with the wound response, ECM regulation, and cell proliferation. Follow-up comparison of P1 scar VFFs and their in vivo tissue source showed substantial transcriptomic differences. Finally, P1 scar VFFs responded to treatment with hepatocyte growth factor and transforming growth factor-?3, two biologics with reported therapeutic value. Despite the practical limitations inherent to working with early passage cells, this experimental model is easily implemented in any suitably equipped laboratory and has the potential to improve the applicability of preclinical VF fibrosis research.
Project description:: In patients undergoing maxillary sinus floor elevation (MSFE) for dental implant placement, bone substitutes are currently evaluated as alternatives for autologous bone. However, bone substitutes have only osteoconductive properties and lack osteoinductive potential. Therefore, this phase I study evaluated the potential additive effect on bone regeneration by the addition of freshly isolated, autologous but heterologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF), which is highly enriched with adipose stromal/stem cells when compared with native adipose tissue. From 10 patients, SVF was procured using automatic processing, seeded on either ?-tricalcium phosphate (n = 5) or biphasic calcium phosphate carriers (n = 5), and used for MSFE in a one-step surgical procedure. Primary objectives were feasibility and safety. The secondary objective was efficacy, evaluated by using biopsies of the augmented area taken 6 months postoperatively, concomitant with dental implant placement. Biopsies were assessed for bone, graft, and osteoid volumes. No adverse effects were reported during the procedure or follow-up (?3 years). Bone and osteoid percentages were higher in study biopsies (SVF supplemented) than in control biopsies (ceramic only on contralateral side), in particular in ?-tricalcium phosphate-treated patients. Paired analysis on the six bilaterally treated patients revealed markedly higher bone and osteoid volumes using microcomputed tomography or histomorphometric evaluations, demonstrating an additive effect of SVF supplementation, independent of the bone substitute. This study demonstrated for the first time the feasibility, safety, and potential efficacy of SVF seeded on bone substitutes for MSFE, providing the first step toward a novel treatment concept that might offer broad potential for SVF-based regenerative medicine applications.This is the first-in-human study using freshly isolated, autologous adipose stem cell preparations (the stromal vascular fraction [SVF] of adipose tissue) applied in a one-step surgical procedure with calcium phosphate ceramics (CaP) to increase maxillary bone height for dental implantations. All 10 patients received CaP plus SVF on one side, whereas bilaterally treated patients (6 of 10) received CaP only on the opposite side. This allowed intrapatient evaluation of the potential added value of SVF supplementation, assessed in biopsies obtained after 6 months. Feasibility, safety, and potential efficacy of SVF for bone regeneration were demonstrated, showing high potential for this novel concept.
Project description:Microarray studies were performed to identify expression patterns by cryopreserved adipose stromal vascular fraction (SVF) preparations that were prepared by three different veterinary stem cell companies from the same source of canine adipose tissue. [Samples 1 - 3] Three equal samples of approximately 20 grams of adipose tissue were shipped on ice to 3 different companies which specialize in adipose-derived veterinary stem cell therapy. All 3 SVF preparations were cryopreserved at their respective facilities. Approximately one month later, cryopreserved samples were retrieved from all companies and transported frozen to the University of Kentucky for gene profiling and viability analysis. [Samples 4 - 11] Groups of cells (samples 5, 7, 9, 11) were treated by the stem cell company with photo-activated platelet-rich plasma (PRP) according to their proprietary procedures in order to enhance regenerative properties of the adipose stem cells. These PRP-treated cells were incubated in the investigator's lab for 6 hours at 37 degrees Celsius to allow for expression of genes that were induced by PRP treatment.
Project description:Microarray studies were performed to identify expression patterns by cryopreserved adipose stromal vascular fraction (SVF) preparations that were prepared by three different veterinary stem cell companies from the same source of canine adipose tissue.
Project description:Native human subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) is well organized into unilocular adipocytes interspersed within dense vascularization. This structure is completely lost under standard culture conditions and may impair the comparison with native tissue. Here, we developed a 3-D model of human white AT reminiscent of the cellular architecture found in vivo. Starting with adipose progenitors derived from the stromal-vascular fraction of human subcutaneous white AT, we generated spheroids in which endogenous endothelial cells self-assembled to form highly organized endothelial networks among stromal cells. Using an optimized adipogenic differentiation medium to preserve endothelial cells, we obtained densely vascularized spheroids containing mature adipocytes with unilocular lipid vacuoles. In vivo study showed that when differentiated spheroids were transplanted in immune-deficient mice, endothelial cells within the spheroids connected to the recipient circulatory system, forming chimeric vessels. In addition, adipocytes of human origin were still observed in transplanted mice. We therefore have developed an in vitro model of vascularized human AT-like organoids that constitute an excellent tool and model for any study of human AT.
Project description:Adipose tissue from 6 non-obese patients was collagenase treated and adipocytes separated from the stromal vascular fraction(SVF). SVF was then FACS sorted for the following fractions CD45-/CD34+/CD31+ (endothelial), CD45-/CD34+/CD31- (progenitor), CD45+/CD14+ (monocyte/macrophage), CD45+/CD14-(Leukocyte). RNA was isolated from adipocyte, SVF, progenitor, macrophage/monocyte and leukocyte fractions and analyzed on the Affymetrix Human Transcriptome 2.0 array. We also sorted SVF from an additional 13 (10 non-obese, 9 obese) patients and sent progenitor RNA for Affymetrix Human Transcriptome 2.0 array analysis.
Project description:We used microarrays to characterize transcriptome profiles of rat vocal fold tissue following surgical injury (vs. naive tissue); rat vocal fold fibroblasts harvested from scar tissue at the 60 d time point (vs. naive fibroblasts); rat vocal fold scar fibroblasts treated with siRNA against the collagen chaperone protein rat gp46 (vs. scramble siRNA). Adult Fischer 344 rat vocal fold tissue was harvested at 3, 14, and 60 days following surgical injury (control = age-matched naive tissue); rat vocal fold scar fibroblasts were obtained via explant culture of tissue obtained 60 days following surgical injury and harvested at 80% confluence during passage 1 (control = age-matched naive rat vocal fold fibroblasts); rat vocal fold scar fibroblasts were treated for 1 h with 50 nM liposome-delivered siRNA against rat gp46 when 80% confluent at passage 1, cultured for an additional 24 h in fresh media, then harvested (control = rat vocal fold scar fibroblasts treated with 50 nM liposome-delivered scramble siRNA).