Poly-ε-caprolactone/poly(rotaxane) seeded with human dental pulp stem cells or osteoblasts promotes angiogenesis: a chorioallantoic membrane assay

Abstract

Biomaterials used for tissue regeneration should ideally provide a favorable environment for cell proliferation and differentiation. Angiogenesis is crucial for supplying oxygen and nutrients necessary for cellular survival at implantation sites. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall angiogenesis response of a poly ε-caprolactone/poly (rotaxane) blend (poly-blend) carried by human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) or osteoblasts (OB) seeded in the chorioallantoic membranes (CAM) of fertilized chicken eggs on embryonic day 7. They were classified into the following intervention groups: (a) poly(polymeric blend disks free of cells); (b) hDPSC seeded onto CAM; (c) poly/hDPSC (where hDPSCs were seeded onto poly-blend); (d) poly/OB (where osteoblasts were seeded onto poly); (e) OB (where hDPSCs differentiated into osteoblasts were seeded onto CAM); and (f) a negative control when a sterilized silicone ring free of cells or polymer was inserted into CAM. On embryonic day 14, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the blood vessels in the CAMs were analyzed macroscopically and microscopically. Macroscopic examination showed that the Poly/hDPSC samples exhibited an increased medium vessel density. Additionally, microscopic observations showed that the Poly/hDPSC group and poly alone resulted in a large lumen area of vascularization. Thus, poly ε-caprolactone/poly (rotaxane) did not impair angiogenesis. Furthermore, poly-blend carried by stem cells of dental pulp origin shows a better vasculogenic potential, which is essential for regenerative therapies.

Keywords:

• Dental pulp stem cells
• polymers
• poly ε-caprolactone
• chorioallantoic membrane
• angiogenesis

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement CAPES for awarding a Doctorate scholarship program to Natacha Kalline de Oliveira, and to Professor Marcos Akira D’Ávila for manufacturing the Polymer at the Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil. The authors would like also to thank Editage (www.editage.com.br) for final English language review.

Ethics statement

The authors confirm that the ethical policies of the journal, as noted on the journal’s author guidelines page, have been adhered to and the appropriate ethical review committee approval has been received. The study conformed to the US Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects.

Author contributions

Natacha Kalline de Oliveira: investigation, methodology, data collection, writing; Emanuela Prado Ferraz: writing, analysis, drafting, revision; Flavia Cristina Perrillo: formal analysis, writing; Luciana Correa: writing, analysis, revision; Maria Cristina Zindel Deboni: funding acquisition, investigation, writing the original draft.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) under Grant #2015/15055-0.