Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2024
Monday–Friday, March 4–8, 2024; Minneapolis & Virtual
Session Z27: Mechanics of Cells and Tissues IV
11:30 AM–2:30 PM,
Friday, March 8, 2024
Room: 101H
Sponsoring
Units:
DBIO DSOFT
Chair: Moumita Das, Rochester Institute of Technology
Abstract: Z27.00012 : IPF ECM-Derived Hydrogels Promote the Inflammatory Cytokine Expression of Cultured IPF Fibroblasts and Trigger an Inflammatory and Proliferative Immune Cell Profile*
1:42 PM–1:54 PM
Presenter:
Jeffrey L Moran
(George Mason University)
Authors:
Jeffrey L Moran
(George Mason University)
Jorge Fernandez
(George Mason University)
Amit Singh
(George Mason University)
Luis Rodriguez
(George Mason University)
Geraldine Grant
(George Mason University)
Joseph Kim
(George Mason University)
Durwood Moore
(George Mason University)
Jawad A Khan
(George Mason University)
To better understand fibroblast biology in IPF, we developed a 3D hydrogel model derived from human fibrotic lung tissue that allows us to study the effects of fibroblast activation and cytokine expression without the confounding influence of mechanosignaling from stiff plastic substrates. Hydrogels were generated from lung tissue via decellularization, lyophilization, pulverization, and digestion of scaffold prior to forming gels. 2D culture served as control. Fibroblast 3D hydrogel cultures were assayed for contractility, imaged via optical microscopy, and analyzed with ImageJ. Conditioned media was collected from fibroblast cultures and used to treat monocytes and macrophages. Gene expression was assayed via quantitative PCR, and protein expression was assayed via Western Blot. The mechanical properties of hydrogels were characterized with rheometry and atomic force microscopy and correlated with contractility of the IPF-F when cultured in our ECM hydrogels, as compared to NHLF. Our results broadly suggest that hydrogels recapitulate the increased inflammatory immune cells as a result of the fibrotic ECM in vitro model and altered mechanical properties in the IPF disease state.
In conclusion, our hydrogels drive expression of inflammatory cytokines that are lost in standard 2D culture. These observations reinforce the need for improved in vitro model systems that retain environmental cues in the IPF lung. Our hydrogel platform will serve as a robust in vitro platform for further investigations of fundamental issues underlying the progression of IPF.
*This work was supported by the Virginia Commonwealth Health Research Board via grant #247-03-21.
Follow Us |
Engage
Become an APS Member |
My APS
Renew Membership |
Information for |
About APSThe American Physical Society (APS) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics. |
© 2024 American Physical Society
| All rights reserved | Terms of Use
| Contact Us
Headquarters
1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844
(301) 209-3200
Editorial Office
100 Motor Pkwy, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 591-4000
Office of Public Affairs
529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20045-2001
(202) 662-8700