Title
Extracellular Matrix Stiffness and Composition Regulate the Myofibroblast Differentiation of Vaginal Fibroblasts
Author
Ruiz-Zapata, A.M.
Heinz, A.
Kerkhof, M.H.
van de Westerlo-van Rijt, C.
Schmelzer, C.E.H.
Stoop, R.
Kluivers, K.B.
Oosterwijk, E.
Publication year
2020
Abstract
Fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation is a key feature of wound-healing in soft tissues, including the vagina. Vaginal fibroblasts maintain the integrity of the vaginal wall tissues, essential to keep pelvic organs in place and avoid pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The micro-environment of vaginal tissues in POP patients is stiffer and has different extracellular matrix (ECM) composition than healthy vaginal tissues. In this study, we employed a series of matrices with known stiffnesses, as well as vaginal ECMs, in combination with vaginal fibroblasts from POP and healthy tissues to investigate how matrix stiffness and composition regulate myofibroblast differentiation in vaginal fibroblasts. Stiffness was positively correlated to production of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Vaginal ECMs induced myofibroblast differentiation as both α-SMA and collagen gene expressions were increased. This differentiation was more pronounced in cells seeded on POP-ECMs that were stiffer than those derived from healthy tissues and had higher collagen and elastin protein content. We showed that stiffness and ECM content regulate vaginal myofibroblast differentiation. We provide preliminary evidence that vaginal fibroblasts might recognize POP-ECMs as scar tissues that need to be remodeled. This is fundamentally important for tissue repair, and provides a rational basis for POP disease modelling and therapeutic innovations in vaginal reconstruction.
Subject
Alpha-smooth muscle actin
Cell culture system
Collagen
Decellularized tissues
Extracellular matrix
Matrix stiffness
Micro-environment
Myofibroblast
Pelvic organ prolapse
Vaginal fibroblasts
Biomedical Innovation
Healthy Living
Life
MHR - Metabolic Health Research
ELSS - Earth, Life and Social Sciences
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d266551c-b621-4a83-8345-0bb75aea2d8c
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21134762
TNO identifier
878093
Source
International Journal of Moleculair Science, 21 (21), E4762
Document type
article