Water contact angle data and FTIR data of stem cell/tenocyte co-culture-derived secretome releasing electrospun tube; and adhesion data of fully transected and sutured rabbit Achilles tendons three weeks post-operation under application of such a tube

TL;DR

This study explores using a secretome-infused electrospun tube to reduce adhesion after tendon surgery in rabbits.

Contribution

A novel cell-free secretome-releasing electrospun tube is developed and tested for tendon adhesion prevention.

Findings

The secretome-infused tubes showed distinct water contact angle and FTIR characteristics compared to controls.

Implanted tubes reduced adhesion in rabbit Achilles tendons three weeks post-surgery.

The cell-free approach demonstrates potential for improving tendon repair outcomes.

Abstract

Tendon ruptures may result in unsatisfactory outcomes, even after long rehabilitation programs and careful return to daily activities and sports. One major problem after a tendon rupture is the fibrotic adhesion formation to the adjacent tissue, which hampers proper motion and may end up in a permanent reduced range of motion.

Following a cell-free approach, we cultivated rabbit adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) and rabbit Achilles tenocytes in a ratio of 3:1 and incorporated the secretome harvested from this co-culture into an emulsion electrospun tubular DegraPol® fiber mesh. These tubes were characterized by thestatic and dynamic water contact angles and by FTIR spectra, with a comparison to tubes without secretome incorporation (control). Furthermore, we present adhesion data from an in vivo experiment, where these tubes were implanted around a fully transected rabbit Achilles tendon after suture at 3 weeks post-operation.

Image, graphical abstract

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