Chondrogenic differentiation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells within nanocaged POSS-PCU scaffolds: a new tool for nanomedicine.

Scaffold cellularization for cartilage engineering can aid implant properties, their retention and minimize repeated intervention, particularly in paediatric reconstructive craniofacial surgery. We developed novel bionanoscaffolds using paediatric adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hADSCs), an accessible autologous cell source, and POSS-PCU. Little is known about cellular responses to this nanomaterial, though it was used in human. We assessed: 1) POSS-PCU cellularization and bioaffinity to hADSCs; 2) hADSC chondrogenic differentiation ability in POSS-PCU; 3) whether bionanoscaffolds became encased within a vascular network and/or vascularised. POSS-PCU supported ADSC survival and proliferation and their migration and differentiation into cartilage within the nanoscaffold. Furthermore, after CAM-grafting, bionanoscaffolds were rapidly surrounded by blood vessels without any apparent negative reaction and erythrocytes of host origin were detected inside the scaffold, suggesting invasion from some capillaries. Altogether, this study demonstrates that POSS-PCU displays excellent bioactivity and hADSC/POSS-PCU bionanoscaffolds offer much promise for autologous cell-based tissue engineering for clinical applications. FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: In this study, human adipose tissue derived stem cells were used in combination with POSS-PCU nanoscaffolds to generate cartilage tissue demonstrating excellent bioactivity for autologous cell-based tissue engineering for clinical applications.

Evaluation of food and nutrient intake in a population of subjects affected by periodontal disease with different levels of bone mineral density.

Introduction: Both osteoporosis and periodontitis are pathologies characterized by an imbalance in the bone tissue. Vitamin C is an important factor involved in maintaining the health of the periodontium; its deficiency causes characteristic lesions to periodontal tissues such as bleeding and redness of the gums. Among the essential minerals for the health of the periodontium we find instead calcium.Objectives of the study: The objectives of the proposed study are to study the association between the presence of osteoporosis and periodontal disease. We tried to identify the possible connections between particular dietary patterns and therefore the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease and secondarily of osteoporosis.Materials and methods: 110 subjects were recruited in a single-center observational cross-sectional study carried through the collaboration between the University of Florence and the private institute of dentistry Excellence Dental Network based in Florence, suffering of periodontitis, 71 osteoporotic/osteopenic and 39 non-osteoporotic/osteopenic. Anamnestic data and information on eating habits were collected. Results: The population showed eating habits that do not meet the intake levels recommended by the L.A.R.N. Regarding the relationship between nutrient intake and plaque index, it appears that in the population, the higher the intake of vitamin C through food, the lower the plaque index value is. This result could reinforce the scientific evidence that there is a protective factor in the onset of periodontal disease by the consumption of vitamin C which to date is still the subject of investigation. In addition, the same type of trend would also have been observed for calcium intake, but a larger sample size would be required to make this effect significant. Conclusions: The relationship between osteoporosis and periodontitis and the role of nutrition in influencing the evolution of these pathologies still seems to be deeply explored. However, the results obtained seem to consolidate the idea that there is a relationship between these two diseases and that eating habits play an important role in their prevention.

Towards reconstruction of epithelialized cartilages from autologous adipose tissue-derived stem cells.

Deformities of the upper airways, including those of the nose and throat, are typically corrected by reconstructive surgery. The use of autologous somatic stem cells for repair of defects could improve quality and outcomes of such operations. The present study explored the ability of paediatric adipose-derived stem cells (pADSCs), a readily available source of autologous stem cells, to generate a cartilage construct with a functional epithelium. Paediatric ADSCs seeded on the biodegradable nanocomposite polymer, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane poly(ϵ-caprolactone-urea) urethane (POSS-PCL), proliferated and differentiated towards mesenchymal lineages. The ADSCs infiltrated three-dimensional POSS-PCL nanoscaffold and chondroid matrix was observed throughout chondrogenically induced samples. In ovo chorioallantoic membrane-grafted ADSC-nanoscaffold composites were enwrapped by host vessels indicating good compatibility in an in vivo system. Furthermore, pADSCs could be induced to transdifferentiate towards barrier-forming epithelial-like cells. By combining differentiation protocols, it was possible to generate epithelial cell lined chondrogenic micromasses from the same pADSC line. This proof-of-concept study appears to be the first to demonstrate that individual pADSC lines can differentiate towards two different germ lines and be successfully co-cultured. This has important implications for bioengineering of paediatric airways and further confirms the plastic nature of ADSCs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.