Postgraduate Student The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Abstract: Diabetic neuropathy (DN), a complication of diabetes mellitus, causes axonal degeneration and loss of peripheral sensation, contributing to diabetic wounds and increasing the risk of limb amputation. Current therapeutic approaches for DN have limitations in addressing the underlying nerve damage, necessitating the exploration of novel approaches to reverse axonal degeneration. This project seeks to develop pro-reparative composite biologics based on the decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) or conditioned media (CM) obtained from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). By harnessing MSCs’ trophic factor release capabilities, the goal is to explore the therapeutic efficacy of synthesized biologics in potentially reversing axonal degeneration in vitro. Several candidate secretome-based biologics were synthesized based on the previously established methods and solubilized by urea extraction to facilitate delivery into uninjured neuropathic skin. Schwann cell progenitors (SCPs) and Schwann cells (SCs) were differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and neuron-like cells were derived from PC12 cells to evaluate the bioactivity of the biologics through functional assays in vitro. Preliminary findings indicate that soluble extracts of MSC-derived ECM enhanced SCP proliferation and neurite outgrowth in neuronal cultures, while SCP migration remained unaffected. The proposed approach for synthesising ECM-based biologics warrants further investigation as a potential alternative approach for DN.
Funding Source: Center for Neuromusculoskeletal Restorative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
