Affiliation:
1. Department of Orthopaedics Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics Ruijin Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine 197 Ruijin 2nd Road Shanghai 200025 P. R. China
2. Department of Neurosurgery The Affiliated Taian City Central Hospital of Qingdao University Taian Shandong 271000 China
Abstract
AbstractStable regulation of protein fate is a prerequisite for successful bone tissue repair. As a ubiquitin‐specific protease (USP), USP26 can stabilize the protein fate of β‐catenin to promote the osteogenic activity of mesenchymal cells (BMSCs) and significantly increased bone regeneration in bone defects in aged mice. However, direct transfection of Usp26 in vivo is inefficient. Therefore, improving the efficient expression of USP26 in target cells is the key to promoting bone tissue repair. Herein, 3D printing combined with microfluidic technology is applied to construct a functional microunit (protein fate regulating functional microunit, denoted as PFFM), which includes GelMA microspheres loaded with BMSCs overexpressing Usp26 and seeded into PCL 3D printing scaffolds. The PFFM provides a microenvironment for BMSCs, significantly promotes adhesion, and ensures cell activity and Usp26 supplementation that stabilizes β‐catenin protein significantly facilitates BMSCs to express osteogenic phenotypes. In vivo experiments have shown that PFFM effectively accelerates intervertebral bone fusion. Therefore, PFFM can provide new ideas and alternatives for using USP26 for intervertebral fusion and other hard‐to‐repair bone defect diseases and is expected to provide clinical translational potential in future treatments.
Funder
National Key Research and Development Program of China
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Subject
General Materials Science,General Chemistry