Safety of CoronaVac and ChAdOx1 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: data from the Brazilian multicentric study safer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRDs) have been prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination to mitigate the infection severity risks. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at a high risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, especially those under immunosuppression or with associated comorbidities. However, few studies have assessed the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in patients with RA. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with RA. METHODS: This data are from the study "Safety and Efficacy on COVID-19 Vaccine in Rheumatic Diseases," a Brazilian multicentric prospective phase IV study to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine in IMRDs in Brazil. Adverse events (AEs) in patients with RA of all centers were assessed after two doses of ChAdOx1 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) or CoronaVac (Sinovac/Butantan). Stratification of postvaccination AEs was performed using a diary, filled out daily and returned at the end of 28 days for each dose. RESULTS: A total of 188 patients with RA were include, 90% female. CoronaVac was used in 109 patients and ChAdOx1 in 79. Only mild AEs were observed, mainly after the first dose. The most common AEs after the first dose were pain at the injection (46,7%), headache (39,4%), arthralgia (39,4%), myalgia (30,5%) and fatigue (26,6%), and ChAdOx1 had a higher frequency of pain at the injection (66% vs 32 %, p < 0.001) arthralgia (62% vs 22%, p < 0.001) and myalgia (45% vs 20%, p < 0.001) compared to CoronaVac. The more common AEs after the second dose were pain at the injection (37%), arthralgia (31%), myalgia (23%), headache (21%) and fatigue (18%). Arthralgia (41,4% vs 25%, p = 0.02) and pain at injection (51,4% vs 27%, p = 0.001) were more common with ChAdOx1. No serious AEs were related. With Regard to RA activity level, no significant difference was observed between the three time periods for both COVID-19 vaccines. CONCLUSION: In the comparison between the two immunizers in patients with RA, local reactions and musculoskeletal symptoms were more frequent with ChAdOx1 than with CoronaVac, especially after the first dose. In summary, the AE occurred mainly after the first dose, and were mild, like previous data from others immunizing agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Vaccination did not worsen the degree of disease activity.

Drug delivery systems based in microneedles for dermatological diseases and aesthetic enhancement.

Microneedle (MN) devices comprise of micron-sized structures that circumvent biological barriers in a minimally invasive manner. MN research continues to grow and evolve; the technology was recently identified as one of the top ten overall emerging technologies of 2020. There is a growing interest in using such devices in cosmetology and dermatological conditions where the MNs mechanically disrupt the outer skin barrier layer, creating transient pathways that allow the passage of materials to underlying skin layers. This review aims to appraise the application of microneedle technologies in skin science, provide information on potential clinical benefits, as well as indicate possible dermatological conditions that can benefit from this technology, including autoimmune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases, skin aging, hyperpigmentation, and skin tumors. A literature review was carried out to select studies that evaluated the use of microneedles as drug delivery enhancement for dermatologic purposes. MN patches create temporary pathways that allow the passage of material to deeper layers of the skin. Given their demonstrable promise in therapeutic applications, it will be essential for healthcare professionals to engage with these new delivery systems.

Combined 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine regimens for adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: Does the sequence of pneumococcal vaccination affect immunogenicity responses? A single-center cohort study in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: A combination of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) is currently recommended for adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, data on the immunogenicity elicited by sequential pneumococcal vaccination in this patient population are scarce. In this study, we compared short-term antibody responses to both PCV13/PPSV23 (≥8-week interval) and PPSV23/PCV13 (≥12-month interval) vaccination strategies in pneumococcal vaccine-naive adults with SLE. METHODS: This longitudinal, open-label, quasi-randomized study was performed in a single-center cohort of adults (18 years or older) with SLE. In both vaccination groups, blood samples were collected immediately before administering the first dose of the pneumococcal vaccine (timepoint T0), 4-6 weeks after the priming dose (T1), and 4-6 weeks after the booster dose (T2). We focused on the 12 shared serotypes between PCV13 and PPSV23, and compared the following immunogenicity outcomes between the groups at T2: anti-pneumococcal antibody geometric mean concentration (ApAb GMC), fold increase in ApAb levels (FI-ApAb), overall seroprotection rate, and overall seroconversion rate. The protective level for each pneumococcal serotype was set at 1.3 µg/mL. We used the multi-analyte immunodetection method to determine serum levels of ApAbs. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with SLE were screened between April 2019 and January 2020, and 16 of them (mean age: 39.4 years, 87.5% female, and 100% on immunosuppressants) had evaluable immunogenicity results at T2. The median time elapsed between the pneumococcal vaccinations was 56 days in the PCV13/PPSV23 group (n = 11 patients) and 16 months in the PPSV23/PCV13 group (n = 5 patients). Priming with PCV13 (PCV13/PPSV23 group), as opposed to PPSV23 (PPSV23/PCV13 group), yielded significantly better results regarding FI-ApAb, overall seroconversion rate, and overall seroprotection rate 4-6 weeks after each pneumococcal vaccination. A trend toward augmented ApAb GMC in the patients who received the PCV13/PPSV23 sequence was also observed. No relevant safety issues were identified with sequential pneumococcal vaccination. CONCLUSION: The PCV13-priming PPSV23-boost strategy in adults with SLE induced greater antibody responses for most immunogenicity outcomes than those elicited by the PPSV23/PCV13 strategy.

Guidelines on COVID-19 vaccination in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases: a Brazilian Society of Rheumatology task force.

OBJECTIVE: To provide guidelines on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRD) to rheumatologists considering specific scenarios of the daily practice based on the shared-making decision (SMD) process. METHODS: A task force was constituted by 24 rheumatologists (panel members), with clinical and research expertise in immunizations and infectious diseases in immunocompromised patients, endorsed by the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology (BSR), to develop guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination in patients with IMRD. A consensus was built through the Delphi method and involved four rounds of anonymous voting, where five options were used to determine the level of agreement (LOA), based on the Likert Scale: (1) strongly disagree; (2) disagree, (3) neither agree nor disagree (neutral); (4) agree; and (5) strongly agree. Nineteen questions were addressed and discussed via teleconference to formulate the answers. In order to identify the relevant data on COVID-19 vaccines, a search with standardized descriptors and synonyms was performed on September 10th, 2021, of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and LILACS to identify studies of interest. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess the quality of nonrandomized studies. RESULTS: All the nineteen questions-answers (Q&A) were approved by the BSR Task Force with more than 80% of panelists voting options 4-agree-and 5-strongly agree-, and a consensus was reached. These Guidelines were focused in SMD on the most appropriate timing for IMRD patients to get vaccinated to reach the adequate covid-19 vaccination response. CONCLUSION: These guidelines were developed by a BSR Task Force with a high LOA among panelists, based on the literature review of published studies and expert opinion for COVID-19 vaccination in IMRD patients. Noteworthy, in the pandemic period, up to the time of the review and the consensus process for this document, high-quality evidence was scarce. Thus, it is not a substitute for clinical judgment.

Guidelines on COVID-19 vaccination in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases: a Brazilian Society of Rheumatology task force

Abstract Objective: To provide guidelines on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRD) to rheumatologists considering specific scenarios of the daily practice based on the shared-making decision (SMD) process. Methods: A task force was constituted by 24 rheumatologists (panel members), with clinical and research expertise in immunizations and infectious diseases in immunocompromised patients, endorsed by the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology (BSR), to develop guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination in patients with IMRD. A consensus was built through the Delphi method and involved four rounds of anonymous voting, where five options were used to determine the level of agreement (LOA), based on the Likert Scale: (1) strongly disagree; (2) disagree, (3) neither agree nor disagree (neutral); (4) agree; and (5) strongly agree. Nineteen questions were addressed and discussed via teleconference to formulate the answers. In order to identify the relevant data on COVID-19 vaccines, a search with standardized descriptors and synonyms was performed on September 10th, 2021, of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and LILACS to identify studies of interest. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess the quality of nonrandomized studies. Results: All the nineteen questions-answers (Q&A) were approved by the BSR Task Force with more than 80% of panelists voting options 4—agree—and 5—strongly agree—, and a consensus was reached. These Guidelines were focused in SMD on the most appropriate timing for IMRD patients to get vaccinated to reach the adequate covid-19 vaccination response. Conclusion: These guidelines were developed by a BSR Task Force with a high LOA among panelists, based on the literature review of published studies and expert opinion for COVID-19 vaccination in IMRD patients. Noteworthy, in the pandemic period, up to the time of the review and the consensus process for this document, high-quality evidence was scarce. Thus, it is not a substitute for clinical judgment.

Characteristics associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: A nationwide survey of 1000 patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

OBJECTIVES: To identify potential predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (C19-VH) in adults with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID). METHODS: A total of 1000 IMID patients were enrolled in this web-based cross-sectional study. A standardised and self-administered survey was designed by members of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology Steering Committee for Infectious and Endemic diseases and distributed to IMID patients spread across Brazil. RESULTS: Of the 908 (90.8%) respondents eligible for analysis, 744 (81.9%) were willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In our multivariable logistic regression model, concurrent malignancy, fibromyalgia, hydroxychloroquine use, and recent corticosteroid pulse therapy were independently associated with higher odds of C19-VH. The short duration of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials was the main reason for C19-VH. CONCLUSION: We identified novel characteristics potentially associated with C19-VH among adults with IMID. Greater awareness on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines is needed for both IMID patients and attending physicians.

Cell spheroids as a versatile research platform: formation mechanisms, high throughput production, characterization and applications.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture has tremendous advantages to closely mimic thein vivoarchitecture and microenvironment of healthy tissue and organs, as well as of solid tumors. Spheroids are currently the most attractive 3D model to produce uniform reproducible cell structures as well as a potential basis for engineering large tissues and complex organs. In this review we discuss, from an engineering perspective, processes to obtain uniform 3D cell spheroids, comparing dynamic and static cultures and considering aspects such as mass transfer and shear stress. In addition, computational and mathematical modeling of complex cell spheroid systems are discussed. The non-cell-adhesive hydrogel-based method and dynamic cell culture in bioreactors are focused in detail and the myriad of developed spheroid characterization techniques is presented. The main bottlenecks and weaknesses are discussed, especially regarding the analysis of morphological parameters, cell quantification and viability, gene expression profiles, metabolic behavior and high-content analysis. Finally, a vast set of applications of spheroids as tools forin vitrostudy model systems is examined, including drug screening, tissue formation, pathologies development, tissue engineering and biofabrication, 3D bioprinting and microfluidics, together with their use in high-throughput platforms.

An imaging flow cytometry-based technique to quantify erythrocyte nuclear alterations.

Morphological nuclear alterations are indicative of DNA damage and have been considered excellent markers of exposure to several pollutants in aquatic environments. Flow cytometry is a powerful technique for measuring cell phenotypes in large numbers of cells in a short period of time. This technique is suited to the study of cell populations and subset identification as a function of its high-throughput and multi-parameter characteristics. We used the quantification of erythrocyte nuclear alterations to compare the techniques of imaging flow cytometry and light microscopy. The comparison used blood samples of the fish Oreochromis niloticus assayed using cadmium as a nuclear alteration-inducing agent. The results showed that imaging flow cytometry has higher sensitivity than light microscopy for detecting and quantifying erythrocytic nuclear alterations. We conclude that imaging flow cytometry can produce fast and reliable results and could potentially be useful in studies involving fish erythrocytes under normal and impacted environmental conditions.

Correction to: Mortality burden associated with all-cause pneumonia among adults with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and malignancies: a population-based comparative study for informed decision-making in public health policies.

The Table 2 in the original version of the above article was incorrectly presented. The data where misaligned during publication process.].

Distinct mortality profile in systemic sclerosis: a death certificate study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2006-2015) using a multiple causes of death analysis.

The objective of this study was to assess the mortality profile related to SSc in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We retrospectively examined all registered deaths in the region (2006-2015 period) in which the diagnosis of SSc was mentioned on any line of the death certificates (underlying cause of death [UCD], n = 223; non-UCD, n = 151). Besides the analysis of gender, age, and the causes of death, we also compared the mortality from UCDs between individuals whose death causes included SSc (cases) and those whose death causes did not include SSc (deceased controls). For the latter comparison, we used the mortality odds ratio to approximate the cause-specific standardized mortality ratio. We identified 1495 death causes among the 374 SSc cases. The mean age at death of the SSc cases (85% women) was significantly lower than that of the controls (n = 1,294,117) (58.7 vs. 65.5 years, respectively). The main death causes were circulatory system diseases, infections, and respiratory diseases (36%, 34%, and 21% of SSc cases, respectively). Compared to the deceased controls, there were proportionally more deaths among the SSc cases from pulmonary arterial hypertension, lung fibrosis, septicemia, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, other systemic connective tissue diseases, and heart failure (for death age < 50 years). We confirmed the high burden of cardiovascular, respiratory, and infectious causes in this predominantly non-Caucasian sample of SSc patients. Of interest, the percentage of infection-related deaths in our report was about three times higher than that in SSc studies with predominantly Caucasian populations.

Prevalência, aspectos clínicos e anatomopatológicos de paraganglioma de corpo aórtico e carotídeo em cães / Prevalence, clinical signs and anatomic-pathological aspects of aortic and carotid body paragangliomas in dogs / Prevalencia, aspectos clínicos y anatomopatológicos de paraganglioma de cuerpo aórtico y carotideo en perros

Os paragangliomas ou quimiodectomas são neoplasias de quimiorreceptores, de crescimento lento e de comportamento frequentemente benigno, que ocorrem na base do coração, são incomuns, podendo ocorrer em cães e raramente em gatos e bovinos. A avaliação radiográfica e ultrassonográfica contribuem no diagnóstico do paraganglioma de corpo aórtico e carotídeo em cães, sendo necessárias maiores investigações semiológicas devido aos sinais clínicos inespecíficos. O Objetivo do presente artigo é relatar a ocorrência de paraganglioma de corpo aórtico e carotídeo em cães no período de 2004 a 2015 no hospital veterinário da Universidade de Uberaba, destacando-se os sinais clínicos, raça, idade, sexo e presença de metástases. Em um total de 225 exames histológicos de coração e vasos da base cardíaca realizados neste período, cinco cães (2,22%) foram diagnosticados como portadores de paraganglioma, sendo que duas (40%) eram fêmeas e três (60%) machos. A idade média de ocorrência foi de 10,4 ± 4,72 anos, não sendo observada uma predileção racial. Os paragangliomas de corpo aórtico representaram quatro (80%) dos tumores, enquanto os de corpo carotídeo representaram apenas um (20%). Os sinais clínicos foram variáveis por estarem relacionados com a compressão vascular local, com o comprometimento dos órgãos afetados e pela congestão venosa, com consequente aumento da pressão hidrostática e extravasamento de líquido para a cavidade torácica. Salienta-se que em um cão desenvolveu metástase hepática. Apesar da ocorrência incomum o paraganglioma deve ser incluído na lista de diagnósticos diferenciais de cardiopatia em cães.(AU)

Paragangliomas or chemodectomas are uncommon slow-growing chemoreceptor neoplasms, often benign, which appears at the base of the heart. They may occur in dogs, but rarely in cats and cattle. Radiographic and ultrasound evaluation contribute to the diagnosis of paraganglioma in canine aortic and carotid body tumors, requiring further semiological investigation due to nonspecific clinical signs. The purpose of this article is to report the occurrence of canine aortic and carotid body paraganglioma tumors from 2004 to 2015 at the Uberaba University Veterinary Hospital, highlighting the clinical signs, breed, age, sex and presence of metastases. From a total of 225 histological examinations of heart and cardiac base vessels performed in this period, five dogs (2.22%) were diagnosed as having paraganglioma, with two (40%) being female and three (60%) male. The mean age of occurrence was 10.4 ± 4.72 years, and no breed preference could be observed. The paragangliomas of the aortic body represented four (80%) of the tumors, while the ones of the carotid body represented only one (20%). Clinical signs varied due to their relationship to local vascular compression, involvement of the affected organs and venous congestion, with consequent increase in hydrostatic pressure and liquid extravasation to the thoracic cavity. One dog developed liver metastasis. Despite the unusual occurrence, paragangliomas should be included in the list of differential diagnoses of canine heart disease.(AU)

Los paragangliomas o quemodectomas son neoplasias de quimiorreceptores, de crecimiento lento y de comportamiento frecuentemente benigno, que ocurren en la base del corazón, son inusuales, pudiendo ocurrir en perros y raramente en gatos y bovinos. La evaluación radiográfica y ultrasonografía contribuyen en el diagnóstico de paraganglioma de cuerpo aórtico y carotideo en perros, siendo necesarias mayores investigaciones semiológicas debido a los signos clínicos inespecíficos. El objetivo del presente artículo es relatar la ocurrencia de paraganglioma de cuerpo aórtico y carotideo en perros en el período de 2004 a 2015 en el hospital veterinario de la Universidad de Uberaba, destacándose los signos clínicos, raza, edad, sexo y presencia de metástasis. En un total de 225 exámenes histológicos de corazón y vasos de la base cardíaca realizados en este período, cinco perros (2,22%) fueron diagnosticados como portadores de paraganglioma, siendo que dos (40%) eran hembras y tres (60%) machos. La edad mediana de ocurrencia fue de 10,4 ± 4,72 años, no siendo observada una predilección racial. Los paragangliomas de cuerpo aórtico representaron cuatro (80%) de los tumores, mientras que los de cuerpo carotideo representaron sólo uno (20%). Los signos clínicos fueron variables por estar relacionados con la compresión vascular local, con el comprometimiento de los órganos afectados y por la congestión venosa, con consecuente aumento de la presión hidrostática y extravasación de líquido para la cavidad torácica. Se destaca que en un perro desarrolló metástasis hepática. A pesar de la ocurrencia inusual el paraganglioma debe ser incluido en la lista de diagnósticos diferenciales de cardiopatía en perros.(AU)

Delivery of Human Adipose Stem Cells Spheroids into Lockyballs.

Adipose stem cells (ASCs) spheroids show enhanced regenerative effects compared to single cells. Also, spheroids have been recently introduced as building blocks in directed self-assembly strategy. Recent efforts aim to improve long-term cell retention and integration by the use of microencapsulation delivery systems that can rapidly integrate in the implantation site. Interlockable solid synthetic microscaffolds, so called lockyballs, were recently designed with hooks and loops to enhance cell retention and integration at the implantation site as well as to support spheroids aggregation after transplantation. Here we present an efficient methodology for human ASCs spheroids biofabrication and lockyballs cellularization using micro-molded non-adhesive agarose hydrogel. Lockyballs were produced using two-photon polymerization with an estimated mechanical strength. The Young's modulus was calculated at level 0.1362 +/-0.009 MPa. Interlocking in vitro test demonstrates high level of loading induced interlockability of fabricated lockyballs. Diameter measurements and elongation coefficient calculation revealed that human ASCs spheroids biofabricated in resections of micro-molded non-adhesive hydrogel had a more regular size distribution and shape than spheroids biofabricated in hanging drops. Cellularization of lockyballs using human ASCs spheroids did not alter the level of cells viability (p > 0,999) and gene fold expression for SOX-9 and RUNX2 (p > 0,195). The biofabrication of ASCs spheroids into lockyballs represents an innovative strategy in regenerative medicine, which combines solid scaffold-based and directed self-assembly approaches, fostering opportunities for rapid in situ biofabrication of 3D building-blocks.

Cardiopulmonary and acid-base effects of tramadol in cats anesthetized with sevoflurane / Efeito cardiopulmonar e ácido básico do tramadol em gatas anestesiadas pelo sevoflurano

The experiment assessed the cardiorespiratory and hemogasometric profiles in female cats under sevoflurane resulting from the administration of tramadol. Twenty clinically healthy adult female cats separated equally into two groups: control group (CG) and tramadol group (TG) were sedated with intramuscular acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg), followed by anesthetic induction intravenous propofol (5mg/kg). After endotracheal intubation, animals were maintained on sevoflurane in oxygen administered using a non-rebreathing (Baraka) circuit. The oxygen flow-rate was maintained at 2 L per minute. Fifteen minutes after induction, either 0.05 ml/kg 0.9% saline solution or 2mg/kg tramadol were administered, both intramuscularly, to the animals in CG and TG, respectively. The period of time immediately previous to these administrations was considered as moment zero (T0). The variables were again measured 15 minutes later (T15) and subsequently in 15 minute intervals for a total of sixty minutes (T30, T45 and T60). The results were statistically evaluated through variance analysis of repeated measures (ANOVA) followed by a Tukey test or Student t-test with the nullity hypothesis rejection level set to p<0.05. The use of tramadol reduced cardiac frequency (CF), systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). There was a reduction of the respiratory frequency (RF) and an elevation of the PaCO2. The body temperature (ºC) lowered in both groups throughout the experiment. The results allow us to conclude that tramadol in cats anesthetized with sevoflurane does not undergo significant cardiorespiratory and blood-gas changes, although there are significant differences in some parameters between groups, all results remained within feline standard physiological values.

Avaliaram-se os efeitos cardiorespiratórios e hemogasométricos decorrentes da aplicação do tramadol em gatas anestesiadas pelo sevoflurano. Utilizaram-se vinte gatas adultas, clinicamente saudáveis separadas igualmente em dois grupos GC e GT, todos receberam 0,05 mg/kg de acepromazina pela via intramuscular como medicação pré anestésica e induzidos à anestesia com propofol, por via intravenosa, na dose de 5 mg/kg. Após a intubação com sonda orotraqueal de Magill, manteve-se anestesia inalatória com sevoflurano, diluído em O2 a 100% (300 mL/kg/min), por meio de sistema Baraka. Decorridos 15 minutos da indução anestésica foram administrados 0,05 mL/kg de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0,9% ou 2 mg/kg de tramadol, ambos por via intramuscular, respectivamente, aos animais do GC e GT. Considerou-se o período imediatamente anterior a estas aplicações como o momento zero (M0) para o registro dos parâmetros. Novas mensurações foram realizadas a intervalos de 15 minutos, por um período de 60 minutos (T15, T30, T45 e T60). Os dados numéricos obtidos foram submetidos à análise de variância (ANOVA) seguida pelo teste Tukey ou teste t-Student, sendo considerado o nível de significância de p<0,05. A administração do tramadol reduziu a frequência cardíaca (FC), pressões arteriais sistólica (PAS), diastólica (PAD) e média (PAM). Ocorreu redução da frequência respiratória (FR) e elevação da PaCO2 e a temperatura corporal (T°C) apresentou redução em ambos os grupos durante todo o período experimental. Os resultados permitem concluir que a administração do tramadol em gatas anestesiadas pelo sevoflurano não promove alterações cardiorespiratórias e hemogasométricas importantes, apesar de haver diferenças significativas em alguns parâmetros entre os grupos, todos os resultados permaneceram dentro do fisiológico para a espécie felina.

3D-printed PCL scaffolds for the cultivation of mesenchymal stem cells.

INTRODUCTION: Tissue engineering is a field which is currently under a great deal of investigation for the development and/or restoration of tissue and organs, through the combination of cell therapy with biomaterials. Rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing is a versatile technology which makes possible the fabrication of three dimensional (3D) structures from a wide range of materials with complex geometry and accuracy, such as scaffolds. AIM: The aim of this study has been to investigate the interaction between mesenchymal stem cells with poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) biomaterials used for obtaining scaffolds through additive manufacturing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Scanning electron microscopy, confocal microscopy and biological assays were performed to analyse the successful interaction between the cells and the biomaterials. RESULTS: As a result, the number of viable cells attached to the scaffolds was lower when compared to the control group; however, it was possible to observe cells in the scaffolds since day 1 of analysis, with regions of confluence after 21 days of seeding. CONCLUSIONS: To conclude, these biomaterials are interesting if used as medical artifacts, principally in tissue with prolonged regeneration time and which requires 3D supports with good mechanical properties.