Spheroids of cardiomyocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells improve recovery from myocardial injury in mice.

The microenvironment of native heart tissue may be better replicated when cardiomyocytes are cultured in three-dimensional clusters (i.e., spheroids) than in monolayers or as individual cells. Thus, we differentiated human cardiac lineage-induced pluripotent stem cells in cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) and allowed them to form spheroids and spheroid fusions that were characterized in vitro and evaluated in mice after experimentally induced myocardial infarction (MI). Synchronized contractions were observed within 24 h of spheroid formation, and optical mapping experiments confirmed the presence of both Ca2+ transients and propagating action potentials. In spheroid fusions, the intraspheroid conduction velocity was 7.0 ± 3.8 cm/s on days 1- 2 after formation, whereas the conduction velocity between spheroids increased significantly ( P = 0.003) from 0.8 ± 1.1 cm/s on days 1- 2 to 3.3 ± 1.4 cm/s on day 7. For the murine MI model, five-spheroid fusions (200,000 hiPSC-CMs/spheroid) were embedded in a fibrin patch and the patch was transplanted over the site of infarction. Later (4 wk), echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening were significantly greater in patch-treated animals than in animals that recovered without the patch, and the engraftment rate was 25.6% or 30% when evaluated histologically or via bioluminescence imaging, respectively. The exosomes released from the spheroid patch seemed to increase cardiac function. In conclusion, our results established the feasibility of using hiPSC-CM spheroids and spheroid fusions for cardiac tissue engineering, and, when fibrin patches containing hiPSC-CM spheroid fusions were evaluated in a murine MI model, the engraftment rate was much higher than the rates we have achieved via the direct intramyocardial injection. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spheroids fuse in culture to produce structures with uniformly distributed cells. Furthermore, human cardiac lineage-induced pluripotent stem cells in cardiomyocytes in adjacent fused spheroids became electromechanically coupled as the fusions matured in vitro, and when the spheroids were combined with a biological matrix and administered as a patch over the infarcted region of mouse hearts, the engraftment rate exceeded 25%, and the treatment was associated with significant improvements in cardiac function via a paracrine mechanism, where exosomes released from the spheroid patch.

The effects of screw configuration and polymeric carriers on hot-melt extruded taste-masked formulations incorporated into orally disintegrating tablets.

The primary aim of this research was to produce successfully taste masked formulations of Sildenafil Citrate (SC) using hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology. Multiple screw configurations and polymeric carriers were evaluated for their effects on taste masking efficiency, which was assessed by both E-tongue analysis and in vitro dissolution in simulated salivary fluid (SSF, pH 6.8 artificial saliva). The screw configurations were further assessed for their effects on the morphology of the API using PXRD, FT-IR and mid-infrared chemical imaging. It was determined that the screw configuration had a profound effect on the taste masking efficiency of the formulations as a result of altering the physical state of the API. Selected extruded formulations using ethylcellulose (EC) with a pore former were further formulated into orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs), which were optimized by varying the grade and percentage of the superdisintegrant used. An optimized disintegration time of approximately 8 seconds was achieved. The final ODT formulation exhibited excellent taste masking properties with over 85% drug release in gastric media as well as physical tablet properties. Interestingly, friability, which tends to be a common concern when formulating ODTs, was well within the acceptable limits (<1%) for common tablets.