Sains Malaysiana 52(3)(2023): 967-979

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2023-5203-20

Decellularized and Genipin Crosslinked Human Umbilical Cord Artery and Vein for Potential Use as Peripheral Nerve Conduit

(Pautan Silang Arteri dan Urat Tali Pusat Manusia Dinyahsel dan Genipin untuk Potensi Kegunaan sebagai Konduit Saraf Periferi)

NABILA SYAHIDA BINTI ZAILAN¹, NISRIENA AZLIN BINTI MD ISA¹, MUHAMMAD ASYRAF BIN HUMAYOON KABIR¹, SYAHIDA RABIA BINTI SYED ALI¹, MUHAMAD FIRDAUS BIN NORISMAN¹, SITI A. M. IMRAN¹, MOHAMAD FIKERI ISHAK¹, MOHD REUSMAAZRAN YUSOF² & YOGESWARAN LOKANATHAN^1,*

¹Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

²Industrial Technology Division (BTI), Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received: 30 November 2022/Accepted: 3 February 2023

Abstract

Critical gap peripheral nerve injury, commonly caused by motor vehicle accidents, results in dysfunctional nerve and impaired body function. Our study aims to develop a conduit from decellularized and genipin crosslinked human umbilical cord artery and vein for future use in critical nerve gap injury treatments. Human umbilical cord arteries (HUCA) and veins (HUCV) were divided into native (nHUCA and nHUCV), decellularized (dHUCA and dHUCV) and genipin-crosslinked (clHUCA and clHUCV) groups. Both the decellularized and crosslinked groups were decellularized, and subsequently, the clHUCA and clHUCV groups were crosslinked with 0.1%, 0.4% and 0.7% (w/v) genipin. The HUCA and HUCV were then studied for decellularization efficiency, crosslinking index, biodegradation, swelling ratio, ultrastructure analysis, flexibility and mechanical strength. In addition, mesenchymal stem cells isolated from Wharton’s jelly were seeded into HUCA and HUCV for biocompatibility studies. The degradation test showed that nHUCV and dHUCV degraded at day 7 compared to other groups that did not show any degradation even after 21 days. Biocompatibility studies showed that the conduits crosslinked with 0.4% (w/v) genipin were successfully seeded and was having the most amount of seeded cells. In conclusion, the decellularization and genipin crosslinking of human umbilical cord artery and vein enabled successful in fabrication of conduit with suitable properties such as reduced swelling, flexibility, porosity and mechanical strength, with potential in tissue engineering applications.

Keywords: Decellularization; genipin; nerve conduit; nerve injury; umbilical cord artery

Abstrak

Kecederaan saraf periferi jurang kritikal, biasanya disebabkan oleh kemalangan kenderaan bermotor mengakibatkan saraf tidak berfungsi dan fungsi badan akan terjejas. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk membangunkan konduit daripada arteri dan urat tali pusat manusia yang dinyahsel dan genipin untuk kegunaan masa hadapan dalam rawatan kecederaan jurang saraf kritikal. Arteri tali pusat manusia (HUCA) dan urat (HUCV) dibahagikan kepada kumpulan asli (nHUCA dan nHUCV), dinyahsel (dHUCA dan dHUCV) dan pautan silang genipin (clHUCA dan clHUCV). Kedua-dua kumpulan dinyahsel dan pautan silang telah dinyahsel dan seterusnya, kumpulan clHUCA dan clHUCV telah dipaut silang dengan 0.1%, 0.4% dan 0.7% (w/v) genipin. HUCA dan HUCV kemudiannya dikaji untuk kecekapan dinyahsel, indeks paut silang, biodegradasi, nisbah bengkak, analisis ultrastruktur, kefleksibelan dan kekuatan mekanikal. Di samping itu, sel stem mesinkima yang diasingkan daripada jeli Wharton telah disemai ke dalam HUCA dan HUCV untuk kajian biokeserasian. Ujian degradasi menunjukkan nHUCV dan dHUCV merosot pada hari ke-7 berbanding kumpulan lain yang tidak menunjukkan sebarang degradasi walaupun selepas 21 hari. Kajian biokeserasian menunjukkan bahawa konduit yang dipaut silang dengan genipin 0.4% (w/v) berjaya dibenih dan mempunyai jumlah sel yang paling banyak. Kesimpulannya, dinyahsel dan pautan silang genipin arteri dan urat tali pusat manusia telah berjaya menghasilkan konduit dengan sifat yang sesuai seperti mengurangkan bengkak, kefleksibelan, keliangan dan kekuatan mekanikal dengan potensi dalam aplikasi kejuruteraan tisu.

Kata kunci: Arteri tali pusat; dinyahsel; genipin; kecederaan saraf; konduit saraf

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^*Corresponding author; email: lyoges@ppukm.ukm.edu.my