Researchers at Pitt are investigating the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in promoting elastic fiber production in arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) for potential use in regenerative therapies for arterial disease. The researchers focused on developing regenerative treatments for situations such as aneurysms, for which the fibers have been lost. The researchers aimed to validate the EVs using a range of methods before testing for biological effects on SMCs.
Description
This is a novel therapeutic approach called Silk-Iron Packaged Extracellular Vesicles (SIPEs) to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a life-threatening condition characterized by the dilation and thinning of the distal aorta wall. SIPEs combine three components: silk fibroin protein, iron oxide nanoparticles, and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles. Silk fibroin is a biocompatible biomaterial that is slow to degrade and mechanically strong, making it suitable for packaging therapeutic cargo. Iron oxide nanoparticles are magnetic and can be used to guide the treatment to a specific area. MSC-derived extracellular vesicles provide regenerative factors in a cell-free context. The SIPEs are designed to be guided via a magnetic field to the desired tissue and release the therapeutic contents within the extracellular vesicles. This approach offers a targeted, cell-free, regenerative treatment for AAA, which can potentially be applied to other diseases as well.
Applications
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Advantages
MSCs have shown therapeutic effects in treating AAA, and extracellular vesicles derived from MSCs can serve as a cell-free therapy for faster translation into clinical trials. By incorporating these extracellular vesicles into silk-iron microparticles, the therapy can be localized to the AAA, providing a controlled method of delivering the regenerative factors. SIPEs have advantages over previous technologies by providing regenerative factors produced by MSCs and allowing for easier clinical translation.
Invention Readiness
This technology is at the level of in vitro data. The researchers investigated the effects of EVs derived from primary adipose stromal cells (ASCs) on the deposition of elastin and collagen by arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) within a 3D fibrin gel culture. The researchers demonstrated that treatment with EVs increases the deposition of insoluble elastin and collagen in two different fibrin construct geometries, discs, and strands.
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2025046508A1Related Publication(s)
Cunnane, E. M., Ramaswamy, A. K., Lorentz, K. L., Vorp, D. A., & Weinbaum, J. S. (2021). Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Primary Adipose Stromal Cells Induce Elastin and Collagen Deposition by Smooth Muscle Cells within 3D Fibrin Gel Culture. Bioengineering, 8(5), 51. https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering8050051
