Evaluation of a novel approach for in situ soft tissue engineering by external expansion

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Jürgen Bernhagen; Professor Dr. Norbert Pallua
• Subject Area: General and Visceral Surgery ; Cell Biology
• Term: from 2013 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 247933787

An adequate reconstruction of soft tissue defects is still an unsolved problem in reconstructive surgery. Adipose tissue engineering offers a potential solution but in vitro strategies are still afflicted with severe limitations. External soft tissue expansion by vacuum application is a new and promising approach for in situ adipose tissue engineering but little is known about the underlying mechanisms that lead to tissue augmentation. Here, we will apply vacuum as well as mechanical stress to primary human preadipocytes, endothelial cells and adipose tissue samples and will analyse the outcome with regard to potential mechanisms like inflammation, oxidative stress, and angiogenesis, all being crucial factors in adipogenesis. In particular, the levels of a panel of relevant secreted growth factors and cytokines including emerging adipogenic factors such as macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) will be determined. The investigations will also encompass a global gene expression analysis and the evaluation of the phosphorylation state of regulatory proteins to identify responsible signaling pathways. The obtained in vitro results will be verified in an in vivo model using hairless rats, which mimics the external tissue expansion approach. The proposed project will significantly contribute to progress in the field of in situ tissue engineering and also will help to understand how obesity-related pathologies are associated with processes such as inflammation and oxidative stress.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants