Hydrogels from Wharton's jelly as alternative to conventional extracellular matrix-based constructs.

Fiche publication

Date publication

septembre 2025

Journal

International journal of biological macromolecules

Auteurs

Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Dr BELJEBBAR Abdelilah , Dr BERQUAND Alexandre , Dr KERDJOUDJ Halima

Tous les auteurs :
Lavrand A, Adam L, Da Rocha A, Lemaire F, Loth C, Baldit A, Vasseaux M, Van Gulick L, Beljebbar A, Augusto P, Berquand A, Salameh C, Nassif N, Boulmedais F, Mauprivez C, Brenet E, Kerdjoudj H

Lien Pubmed

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40935042

Résumé

Extracellular matrix (ECM)-based hydrogels are increasingly used in regenerative medicine; however, animal-derived sources such as rat tail tendon ECM (RT-ECM)-the current gold standard-face limitations for clinical translation. We propose hydrogels derived from decellularized human Wharton's jelly (WJ-ECM) as a bioactive and sustainable alternative. Compared to RT-ECM, WJ-ECM hydrogels exhibit a distinct biochemical composition, combining type I/III collagen and glycosaminoglycans, and form thinner fibrils. Upon exposure to culture medium, they display reduced syneresis. Rheological and confined compression tests reveal lower stiffness and decreased permeability. Functionally, WJ-ECM hydrogels demonstrate superior hemostatic properties, reduce intracellular ROS accumulation in neutrophils, and promote an anti-inflammatory phenotype in macrophages. In vivo implantation confirms their biocompatibility with minimal adverse effects. These results highlight the potential of WJ-ECM hydrogels as a clinically relevant biomaterial for regenerative medicine and cell culture applications.