A bioengineered trachea-like structure improves survival in a rabbit tracheal defect model.

A practical strategy for engineering a trachea-like structure that could be used to repair or replace a damaged or injured trachea is an unmet need. Here, we fabricated bioengineered cartilage (BC) rings from three-dimensionally printed fibers of poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) and rabbit chondrocytes. The extracellular matrix (ECM) secreted by the chondrocytes combined with the PCL fibers formed a "concrete-rebar structure," with ECM deposited along the PCL fibers, forming a grid similar to that of native cartilage. PCL fiber-hydrogel rings were then fabricated and alternately stacked with BC rings on silicone tubes. This trachea-like structure underwent vascularization after heterotopic transplantation into rabbits for 4 weeks. The vascularized bioengineered trachea-like structure was then orthotopically transplanted by end-to-end anastomosis to native rabbit trachea after a segment of trachea had been resected. The bioengineered trachea-like structure displayed mechanical properties similar to native rabbit trachea and transmural angiogenesis between the rings. The 8-week survival rate in transplanted rabbits was 83.3%, and the respiratory rate of these animals was similar to preoperative levels. This bioengineered trachea-like structure may have potential for treating tracheal stenosis and other tracheal injuries. Editor's summary: Tumors, injury, and congenital diseases can lead to tracheal dysfunction. Tang et al. used melt electrospinning writing and tissue engineering to construct a bioengineered trachea-like structure composed of cartilage rings and fiber-hydrogel rings alternately stacked on silicone tubes. This bioengineered trachea-like structure became vascularized when transplanted heterotopically next to the trachea in rabbits. Orthotopic transplant of the vascularized trachea-like structure by end-to-end anastomosis to native rabbit trachea (from which a segment had been resected) enabled survival of transplanted rabbits. —Orla Smith [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science Translational Medicine is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)