New Research Uncovers Breakthrough in Tissue Engineering Using Bacteria
New research from the Technical University of Denmark uncovered new ground in tissue engineering and cell therapy by harnessing the healing power of bacteria. The study was published in the journal Bioactive Materials and details a new biopolymer, Pantoan Methacrylate (PAMA), with muscle regeneration properties derived from bacteria.
The research team, led by Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz, harnessed the native bioproduction facilities in bacteria to synthesize a new biopolymer with tissue-healing properties.
The polymer was used to manufacture a durable, resilient, and elastic hydrogel for muscle tissue regeneration.
The hydrogel, or “bactogel,” was tested to treat muscle injuries in rats and had promising results. The in vivo study showed a significant increase in muscle tissue formation and reduced fibrous tissue. With nearly 100% mechanical recovery, good biocompatibility, and healing capacity, the PAMA bactogel presents a new path in the field.
“This combination of feats is rarely encountered in the field, as most bioactive hydrogels display subpar mechanical properties that do not fit the mechanically demanding milieu of musculoskeletal tissues, such as muscles,” said Associate Profession Dolatshahi-Pirouz.
He explained the new results could foster better therapies against musculoskeletal injuries in athletes, the elderly, as well as in wounded soldiers or others involved in accidents giving rise to traumatic muscle injuries.
“I imagine a future where bacteria-derived polymers or put simply “bactomers” revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine,” said Dolatshahi-Pirouz. “A future where bacteria in so-called regenerative bacto-baths secrete regenerative bactomers on demand to heal injured tissues in patients.”
With PAMA, the research team has shown they can achieve tissue regenerative in rats without using cells, and they expect much better healing by combining their bactogels with either muscle progenitor cells or stem cells.