Understanding relationships between mammalian cells and their environment
Do silver nanoparticles affect the intestinal function, in particular in relation with the inflammatory process?
Our current approach aims at better understanding the molecular mechanisms involved upon interaction of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with the human intestinal mucosa, using cell culture systems based on Caco-2 cells as in vitro models. Our data clearly demonstrate some cytotoxic effects on the cells upon exposure to AgNPs, as well as a significant increase of the production of reactive oxygen species and the permeability of the tight junctions. More complex effects were observed on different markers of the inflammatory process in these models. Current studies aim at focusing on the involvement of different transduction cascades, transcription factors and protein expression. One key question that we are also currently addressing is to dissociate the effects due to the AgNPs themselves from those related to the presence/release of silver ions.
Is it possible to construct “smart culture surfaces” to be used as innovative biomaterials to promote the adhesion and proliferation of mammalian cells and to regulate their differentiation?
Our current approach aims at developing innovative biomaterials suitable for the expansion of human adipose derived stem cells and to characterize the cells-substrate interactions.
On the one hand, our work aims at assessing the coating of different culture supports with new self-assembling peptides presenting bioactive motifs within their structure for in vitro cultivation of human stem cells for therapeutic applications. These included bioactive motifs derived from the well-known RGD sequence, as well as from collagen type I, fibronectinand laminin. The peptide coatings enable efficient cell adhesion, growth, harvest and reattachment on fresh supports, with retention of characteristic spindle-shaped morphology. Moreover, the peptides do not induce any spontaneous differentiation but allow the cell differentiation towards adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages in inductive media.
On the other hand, we develop micro-structured and microporous substrate, with cell repulsive properties to promote the formation of 3D spheroids of either human cancer or stem cells.