Label-Free Optical Sensing and Medical Grade Resins: An Advanced Approach to Investigate Cell–Material Interaction and Biocompatibility

: The Corning Epic® label-free (ELF) system is an innovative technology widely used in drug discovery, immunotherapy, G-protein-associated studies, and biocompatibility tests. Here, we challenge the use of ELF to further investigate the biocompatibility of resins used in manufacturing of blood filters, a category of medical devices representing life-saving therapies for the increasing number of patients with kidney failure. The biocompatibility assays were carried out by developing a cell model aimed at mimicking the clinical use of the blood filters and complementing the existing cytotoxicity assay requested by ISO10993-5. Experiments were performed by putting fibroblasts in both direct contact with two types of selected resins, and indirect contact by means of homemade customized well inserts that were precisely designed and developed for this technology. For both types of contact, fibroblasts were cultured in medium and human plasma. ELF tests confirmed the biocompatibility of both resins, highlighting a statistically significant different biological behavior of a polyaromatic resin compared to control and ion-exchanged resin, when materials were in indirect contact and soaking with plasma. Overall, the ELF test is able to mimic clinical scenarios and represents a promising approach to investigate biocompatibility, showing peculiar biological behaviors and suggesting the activation of specific intracellular pathways

Novel bioprinted 3D model to human fibrosis investigation

Fibrosis is shared in multiple diseases with progressive tissue stiffening, organ failure and limited therapeutic options. This unmet need is also due to the lack of adequate pre-clinical models to mimic fibrosis and to be challenged novel by anti-fibrotic therapeutic venues. Here using bioprinting, we designed a novel 3D model where normal human healthy fibroblasts have been encapsulated in type I collagen. After stimulation by Transforming Growth factor beta (TGFβ), embedded cells differentiated into myofibroblasts and enhanced the contractile activity, as confirmed by the high level of α − smooth muscle actin (αSMA) and F-actin expression. As functional assays, SEM analysis revealed that after TGFβ stimulus the 3D microarchitecture of the scaffold was dramatically remolded with an increased fibronectin deposition with an abnormal collagen fibrillar pattern. Picrius Sirius Red staining additionally revealed that TGFβ stimulation enhanced of two logarithm the collagen fibrils neoformation in comparison with control. These data indicate that by bioprinting technology, it is possible to generate a reproducible and functional 3D platform to mimic fibrosis as key tool for drug discovery and impacting on animal experimentation and reducing costs and time in addressing fibrosis

Human Adipose Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells Improve Fat Transplantation Performance

The resorption rate of autologous fat transfer (AFT) is 40–60% of the implanted tissue, requiring new surgical strategies for tissue reconstruction. We previously demonstrated in a rabbit model that AFT may be empowered by adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (AD-MSCs), which improve graft persistence by exerting proangiogenic/anti-inflammatory effects. However, their fate after implantation requires more investigation. We report a xenograft model of adipose tissue engineering in which NOD/SCID mice underwent AFT with/without human autologous AD-MSCs and were monitored for 180 days (d). The effect of AD-MSCs on AFT grafting was also monitored by evaluating the expression of CD31 and F4/80 markers. Green fluorescent protein-positive AD-MSCs (AD-MSC-GFP) were detected in fibroblastoid cells 7 days after transplantation and in mature adipocytes at 60 days, indicating both persistence and differentiation of the implanted cells. This evidence also correlated with the persistence of a higher graft weight in AFT-AD-MSC compared to AFT alone treated mice. An observation up to 180 d revealed a lower resorption rate and reduced lipidic cyst formation in the AFT-AD-MSC group, suggesting a long-term action of AD-MSCs in support of AFT performance and an anti-inflammatory/proangiogenic activity. Together, these data indicate the protective role of adipose progenitors in autologous AFT tissue resorption

L\u2019invasione della nuova specie aliena Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae): diversit\ue0 genetica e possibili aree d\u2019originedelle popolazioni individuate in Italia e Canton Ticino

La cimice bruna marmorizzata Halyomorpha halys \ue8 un pentatomide originario dell\u2019Estremo Oriente. Negli ultimi anni si \ue8 diffusa nell\u2019America Settentrionale (Canada e U.S.A.), causando ingenti danni economici alle colture. A partire dal 2007 H. halys \ue8 stata rilevata in Europa centrale (Svizzera, Francia e Germania) e, dal 2012, \ue8 stata segnalata anche in Italia. Da indagini effettuate nel 2013 \ue8 emerso che \ue8 presente con numeri anche consistenti di individui in Emilia (area modenese e province confinanti), Lombardia, Canton Ticino e Piemonte. Non essendo note le modalit\ue0 di introduzione della cimice, per determinare il centro di origine degli esemplari rinvenuti in questo territorio, il presente studio ha analizzato una porzione del gene mitocondriale codificante per la citocromo c ossidasi sub unit\ue0 I (cox1), di solito impiegata come codice a barre genetico per l\u2019identificazione di specie (DNA barcoding) e l\u2019ha impiegata quale marcatore molecolare per l\u2019identificazione e studio della diversit\ue0 genetica di H. halys. L\u2019analisi di oltre 35 esemplari provenienti dall\u2019Italia (Lombardia e Emilia-Romagna) e Svizzera (Canton Ticino) ha portato all\u2019identificazione di due soli aplotipi, distinti tra loro per una sostituzione. Tutti gli esemplari lombardi e svizzeri presentavano il medesimo aplotipo, gi\ue0 ritrovato in letteratura anche in individui cinesi e svizzeri provenienti da altri cantoni elvetici. Il secondo aplotipo, finora mai ritrovato in Europa, \ue8 invece risultato comune per tutti gli esemplari provenienti dall\u2019Emilia ed \ue8 condiviso con altri esemplari descritti in letteratura, originari sia dalla Cina che dal Nord America (Canada e U.S.A.). I dati attuali mostrano perci\uf2 come gli esemplari di H. halys presenti in Italia costituiscano almeno due diverse popolazioni che si sono originate da due distinti eventi di invasione. Probabilmente tali eventi sono stati causati dalla movimentazione di merci e persone. La popolazione lombarda potrebbe essersi originata a causa del trasporto passivo di esemplari dalla Svizzera o a causa della diffusione progressiva della popolazione svizzera attraverso la valle del Ticino. La popolazione emiliana invece potrebbe essersi originata a seguito del trasporto accidentale di individui attraverso scambi commerciali con il continente americano oppure con quello asiatico, dalla stessa regione da cui si \ue8 originata la popolazione nordamericana

The invasion of the new alien species Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae): genetic diversity and possible areas of origin of the populations identified in Italy and Canton Ticino.

The invasion of the new alien species Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae): genetic diversity and possible areas of origin of the populations identified in Italy and Canton Ticino

Assessing biocompatibility of face mask materials during covid-19 pandemic by a rapid multi-assays strategy

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, scientific authorities strongly suggested the use of face masks (FMs). FM materials (FMMs) have to satisfy the medical device biocompatibility requirements as indicated in the technical standard EN ISO 10993-1:2018. The biologic evaluation must be confirmed by in vivo tests to verify cytotoxicity, sensitisation, and skin irritation. Some of these tests require an extensive period of time for their execution, which is incompatible with an emergency situation. In this study, we propose to verify the safety of FMMs combining the assessment of 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) with quantification of nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as predictive markers of skin sensitisation or irritation based on human primary fibroblasts. Two hundred and forty-two FMMs were collected and classified according to spectrometer IR in polypropylene, paper, cotton, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, 3-dimensional printing, and viscose. Of all FMMs tested, 50.8% passed all the assays, 48% failed at least one, and only 1.2% failed all. By a low cost, rapid and highly sensitive multi assays strategy tested on human skin fibroblasts against a large variety of FMMs, we propose a strategy to promptly evaluate biocompatibility in wearable materials