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Jenny Lopez: Adipose Tissue Extract improves wound healing

Tampere University
LocationArvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere
Remote connection
13.11.2020 10.00–14.00
LanguageEnglish
Entrance feeFree of charge
tohtorinhattu
Adipose tissue extract (ATE), an acellular bioactive substance has previously shown angiogenic and adipogenic potential due to its growth factor-rich content. A new operating room preparation method of this extract was discovered. Also, the in vitro and clinical effects of ATE were investigated in the doctoral dissertation of M.D. Jenny Lopez.

With the number of acute and chronic wounds steadily rising, there is a definite need for wound healing strategies aimed at increasing tissue vascularity, volume enhancement and optimal wound closure. Common wound dressings are chemically enhanced at best, but do not contain bioactive substances to accelerate repair. Much attention has been given to tissue engineering strategies based on cellular components, such as cultured keratinocytes and stem cells to enhance tissue regeneration. However, their preparation is lengthy, requires specialized training and materials and is costly.

After injury, wound healing takes place thanks to growth factors, polypeptides with the ability to induce cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and regulate cell metabolism. Growth factors play a key role in all four stages of wound healing by recruiting cells to eliminate pathogens and debris, produce a new, vascularized wound bed and regulate the scarring process. Autologous sources of growth factors are blood, bone marrow and adipose tissue. Adipose tissue has the unique advantage that it contains a plethora of stem cells and its stromal vascular fraction, whose environment is rich in growth factors.

In 2012, Sarkanen et al. discovered Adipose Tissue Extract, a cell-free and protein-rich bioactive substance obtained from adipose tissue in the laboratory. This group studied the effects of ATE both in adipose stem cell and endothelial cell co-cultures and in combination with hyaluronic acid in rat experimental models. They interestingly found that ATE treated cells formed a rich network of capillary-like vessels that was enhanced with increasing ATE doses. The implants treated with ATE formed a greater vascular network and enhanced volume retention.

Based on these findings, the next step was to discover the effect of ATE on wound healing. For this, a new preparation in the operating theatre was designed, studying different experimental variables like temperature, incubation time and filter types. After verifying the growth factor yield in the ATE prepared with the new method, we tested ATE on cell culture assays to study proliferation and migration. Finally, we studied the effect of ATE on human skin graft donor sites, in relation to wound healing time and scar quality.

These studies open new doors in the area of tissue engineering proving acellular extracts enhance wound healing both in vivo and in vitro.

The doctoral dissertation of M.D. Jenny Lopez in the field of Plastic and reconstructive surgery, titled Adipose Tissue Extract for Wound Healing: Operating room preparation, in vitro and clinical use will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology of Tampere University at 12 o'clock on November 13, 2020.  The venues is auditorium F114 of the Arvo Building, address: Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere. The opponent will be Docent Susanna Kauhanen, University of Helsinki. The custos will be Associate Professor (Tenure track) Ville Mattila, Tampere University.

The event can be followed via remote connection, Meeting ID: 642 6596 5973

The dissertation is avalable online at
http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-1730-0