Presentation Modality of Glycoconjugates Modulates Dendritic Cell Phenotype.

The comparative dendritic cell (DC) response to glycoconjugates presented in soluble, phagocytosable, or non-phagocytosable display modalities is poorly understood. This is particularly problematic, as the probing of immobilized glycans presented on the surface of microarrays is a common screen for potential candidates for glycan-based therapeutics. However, the assumption that carbohydrate-protein interactions on a flat surface can be translatable to development of efficacious therapies, such as vaccines, which are delivered in soluble or phagocytosable particles, has not been validated. Thus, a preliminary investigation was performed in which mannose or glucose was conjugated to cationized bovine serum albumin and presented to DCs in soluble, phagocytosable, or non-phagocytosable display modalities. The functional DC response to the glycoconjugates was assessed via a high throughput assay. Dendritic cell phenotypic outcomes were placed into a multivariate, general linear model (GLM) and shown to be statistically different amongst display modalities when comparing similar surface areas. The GLM showed that glycoconjugates that were adsorbed to wells were the most pro-inflammatory while soluble conjugates were the least. DC interactions with mannose conjugates were found to be calcium dependent and could be inhibited via anti-DC-SIGN antibodies. The results of this study aim to resolve conflicts in reports from multiple laboratories showing differential DC profiles in response to similar, if not identical, ligands delivered via different modalities. Additionally, this study begins to bridge the gap between microarray binding data and functional cell responses by highlighting the phenotypes induced from adsorbed glycoconjugates as compared to those in solution or displayed on microparticles.

Viability of HEMA-MMA microencapsulated model hepatoma cells in rats and the host response.

Small diameter hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate (HEMA-MMA; 75% HEMA) microcapsules containing an aggregate of viable rat hepatoma H4IIEC3 cells, after implantation into an omental pouch in Wistar rats, contained viable cells at 7 days but not 14 days. A similar transplantation of microencapsulated aggregates of human hepatoma HepG2 cells did not result in viable cells even at 7 days. The loss of viability was attributed to the tissue reaction, because both encapsulated cell types remained viable in vitro. However, it is not clear if the cells lost their viability in vivo, leading to the aggressive tissue reaction or if the latter caused the cells to starve or otherwise die. The tissue reactions to microcapsules containing rat or human hepatoma cells at day 1 was one cell layer thick and avascular. At later times, tissue reactions were comprised of three regions: macrophages, fibroblasts, and some foreign body giant cells apposed to the polymer membrane, a dense region of fibroblasts and collagen, and a region of vascularized granulation tissue. Prompt vascularization of the tissue reactions occurred after 4 days and was maintained for up to 14 days. Even at 14 days, immune cells were observed, suggesting a continued immune response toward antigens shed from the encapsulated cells.

Growth factor delivery for tissue engineering.

A tissue-engineered implant is a biologic-biomaterial combination in which some component of tissue has been combined with a biomaterial to create a device for the restoration or modification of tissue or organ function. Specific growth factors, released from a delivery device or from co-transplanted cells, would aid in the induction of host parenchymal cell infiltration and improve engraftment of co-delivered cells for more efficient tissue regeneration or ameliorate disease states. The characteristic properties of growth factors are described to provide a biological basis for their use in tissue engineered devices. The principles of polymeric device development for therapeutic growth factor delivery in the context of tissue engineering are outlined. A review of experimental evidence illustrates examples of growth factor delivery from devices such as microparticles, scaffolds, and encapsulated cells, for their use in the application areas of musculoskeletal tissue, neural tissue, and hepatic tissue.

Making microencapsulation work: conformal coating, immobilization gels and in vivo performance.

Microencapsulation of cells as a means of insulin or other protein delivery (for example, for gene therapy) has not yet realized its potential. Three aspects of this problem are illustrated with reference to the use of poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (HEMA-MMA). Conformal coating was used to coat cell aggregates with a very thin layer of a water-insoluble HEMA-MMA membrane that conforms to the shape of the aggregate, and minimizes the polymer's contribution to the total transplant volume. Cell aggregates were coated at a liquid-liquid interface of a discontinuous density gradient composed of both aqueous and organic liquids. Aggregates of HepG2 cells were coated and remained viable. Immobilization matrices were co-encapsulated in order to control cell phenotype. Ultralow gelling temperature agarose promoted the proliferation of HEK293 cells, while the viability of transfected C2C12 cells was improved in microcapsules that contained Matrigel. Rat or human hepatoma cells in HEMA-MMA microcapsules lost viability within a week after implantation into an omental pouch in Wistar rats. The loss of viability was attributed to the tissue reaction, although it is not clear if the cells lost their viability in vivo leading to the aggressive tissue reaction or if the latter caused the cells to starve or otherwise die. On the other hand, intraperitoneal implantation of microcapsules containing L929 cells in 'syngeneic' C3H mice in a high-strength agarose gel resulted in maintenance of viability of approximately 50% of the encapsulated cells. While progress is being made on several fronts, this type of tissue engineering construct is still several years away from routine use in humans.

Relative contribution of LFA-1 and Mac-1 to neutrophil adhesion and migration.

To differentiate the unique and overlapping functions of LFA-1 and Mac-1, LFA-1-deficient mice were developed by targeted homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells, and neutrophil function was compared in vitro and in vivo with Mac-1-deficient, CD18-deficient, and wild-type mice. LFA-1-deficient mice exhibit leukocytosis but do not develop spontaneous infections, in contrast to CD18-deficient mice. After zymosan-activated serum stimulation, LFA-1-deficient neutrophils demonstrated activation, evidenced by up-regulation of surface Mac-1, but did not show increased adhesion to purified ICAM-1 or endothelial cells, similar to CD18-deficient neutrophils. Adhesion of Mac-1-deficient neutrophils significantly increased with stimulation, although adhesion was lower than for wild-type neutrophils. Evaluation of the strength of adhesion through LFA-1, Mac-1, and CD18 indicated a marked reduction in firm attachment, with increasing shear stress in LFA-1-deficient neutrophils, similar to CD18-deficient neutrophils, and only a modest reduction in Mac-1-deficient neutrophils. Leukocyte influx in a subcutaneous air pouch in response to TNF-alpha was reduced by 67% and 59% in LFA-1- and CD18-deficient mice but increased by 198% in Mac-1-deficient mice. Genetic deficiencies demonstrate that both LFA-1 and Mac-1 contribute to adhesion of neutrophils to endothelial cells and ICAM-1, but adhesion through LFA-1 overshadows the contribution from Mac-1. Neutrophil extravasation in response to TNF-alpha in LFA-1-deficient mice dramatically decreased, whereas neutrophil extravasation in Mac-1-deficient mice markedly increased.

Immunoblot analysis of proteins associated with HEMA-MMA microcapsules: human serum proteins in vitro and rat proteins following implantation.

Human serum proteins and their fragments, associated with hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate (HEMA-MMA) copolymer microcapsules, were characterized using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblot analysis. Capsules were incubated with serum for 1 week in vitro and then dissolved in ethanol to also precipitate the adsorbed protein. The precipitate was dissolved in 2% (w/v) SDS (the 'capsule eluate') to be assayed by electrophoresis. The majority of proteins probed for in the immunoblots were detected in the capsule eluates. These included fibronectin, plasminogen, IgG, vitronectin, Factor B, Factor H, Factor I, C3, but not beta-lipoprotein, fibrinogen, HMWK, or IgM. Complement activation fragments were detected in both the immunoblots of the capsule eluates and the medium containing serum without capsules. Thus, the adsorption of these fragments, formed independent of capsule presence, may be partially or completely responsible for the complement fragments associated with capsules. The prevention of complement activation by the addition of 5.8 mM EDTA, at the beginning of the week-long incubation, resulted in fewer low-molecular-weight C3 fragments associated with capsules. Rat proteins were also detected in immunoblots of the eluate of 'free-floating' capsules from the rat peritoneal cavity following implantation for 1 day using anti-human antibodies. Detected proteins included HMWK, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, transferrin, alpha1-antitrypsin, fibronectin, albumin, alpha2-macroglobulin, vitronectin, beta2-microglobulin, Factor B and Factor I. Rat fibrinogen, IgG, and complement C3 fragments were also detected in these immunoblots, but with monoclonal antibodies against the rat proteins.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) surface analysis of HEMA-MMA microcapsules.

High resolution carbon, C 1s, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the surface of hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate (HEMA-MMA; 75 mol% HEMA) capsules maintained in PBS for 1 week showed that the surface was not pure HEMA-MMA. In these spectra, more carbon was bonded in the C-O form than in the C-C form indicating the presence of the Pluronic surfactant, L101, adsorbed from the precipitation bath to the surface during microcapsule preparation. Capsules maintained in medium containing fetal bovine serum for 1 week showed a nitrogen signal consistent with the presence of adsorbed serum proteins. There was a decrease in the amount of nitrogen on the surface after phosphate buffered saline (PBS) washing, however this did not decrease to zero. These preadsorbed proteins, present on the surface of capsules incubated in serum-containing medium before their implantation, may affect the tissue response to these capsules. Calcium was not detected on freshly-made capsules or capsules maintained in PBS for 1 week but was detected on capsules maintained in medium containing serum. Calcium deposits, if formed in vitro, could act as nucleation sites for calcification of the polymer in vivo.

Selected aspects of the microencapsulation of mammalian cells in HEMA-MMA.

Microencapsulation of live mammalian cells is one means of creating hybrid artificial organs, like an artificial pancreas or an artificial liver. In addition to creating and developing the methodologies for enclosing cells within the appropriate semipermeable and biocompatible membranes, novel techniques are needed to assess the various features of the resulting capsules. The small size of a capsule or its heterogeneity can lead to additional complexities that go beyond the problem of examining cell behavior in the presence of biomaterials. These problems are illustrated here by comparison of protein release by microencapsulated HepG2 cells within large and small HEMA-MMA (hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate) capsules, by assessment of the effect of processing conditions on HEMA-MMA microcapsule permeability to horseradish peroxidase at the individual capsule level, and by a confocal microscopy technique for assessing intracapsule cell viability.

Morphological assessment of hepatoma cells (HepG2) microencapsulated in a HEMA-MMA copolymer with and without Matrigel.

Hepatoma cells (HepG2), an anchorage-dependent cell line, were microencapsulated in a HEMA-MMA polyacrylate membrane to which the cells do not adhere. This environment was altered by the coencapsulation of Matrigel, a reconstituted extracellular matrix derived from the Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) mouse tumor basement membrane, to provide sites for cell attachment. The effect on the cells of these two capsule microenvironments during a 2-week in vitro culture period was assessed by examining the spatial arrangement, morphology, and viability of the cells using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In preparation for microscopy, dissolution of the polymer was prevented by the use of frozen sections embedded in a water-soluble compound. Similarly, freeze cleavage of conductively stained capsules permitted SEM observation of the capsule interior along with ultrastructural detail of the cells. In the absence of Matrigel, cells in HEMA-MMA capsules were found to form aggregates in intracapsular pockets with central necrosis occurring at day 7 in large aggregates. The coencapsulation of HepG2 cells with Matrigel, resulted in an initially uniform distribution of essentially individual cells with aggregates appearing later within the Matrigel. Many cells within these capsules had remained viable when examined up to day 14 with only limited cellular necrosis, implying a favorable environment for microencapsulated HepG2 cells.