Lei Cui

China Medical University (PRC) · college of medical informatics

Research background: The meniscus functions as a vital component in maintaining the homeostasis of joint biomechanics, and its pathological calcification leads to cartilage destruction. The cluster of miR-17~92 plays an important role in skeletal development. However, the impact of miR-17~92 on meniscal calcification remains unclear. Methods: To de...

Due to the lack of a precise in vitro model that can mimic the nature microenvironment in osteosarcoma, the understanding of its resistance to chemical drugs remains limited. Here, we report a novel three‐dimensional model of osteosarcoma constructed by seeding tumor cells (MG‐63 and MNNG/HOS Cl no. 5) within demineralized bone matrix scaffolds. De...

Purpose Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) is the most common cause of uterine infertility. This study aims to evaluate whether platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) treatment can stimulate damaged endometrium regeneration in rats. Methods First, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and ELISAs were used to evaluate the...

Damaged hyaline cartilage has no capacity for self-healing, making osteoarthritis (OA) “difficult-to-treat”. Cartilage destruction is central to OA patho-etiology and is mediated by matrix degrading enzymes. Here we report decreased expression of miR-17 in osteoarthritic chondrocytes and its deficiency contributes to OA progression. Supplementation...

Background Hypobaric hypoxia exposure leads to brain edema, followed by neuropsychological disorders. However, the related mechanism and effective treatments are still unclear. The study aimed to discuss the neuroprotective effects of Cordycepin on hypobaric hypoxia-induced cognitive impairment. Methods The study contained two parts. In the first...

Background In frozen–thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles, endometrial thickness (EMT) has been used routinely as the main clinical monitoring index. However, the current findings are conflicting. Method This was a single-center retrospective study of 2,054 couples (2,562 cycles) who underwent FET (including cleavage stage embryos and blastocysts)...

Background: Alopecia has become an exceedingly prevalent dermatological disorder. Etiologically, infection (bacterial and fungal infection), inflammation, and immune dysregulation are the main causes of immune-mediated hair loss. Treating hair loss has remained challenging as the available therapies are limited. Exosomes from adipose-derived stem...

Septic arthritis induced by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) causes irreversible cartilage degradation and subsequent permanent joint dysfunction. Recently, cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis is recognized to be associated with metabolic disorders. However, whether cholesterol metabolism is linked to septic arthritis pathology remains largely...

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of autologous platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) for the treatment of infertility with intrauterine adhesions. Methods: Forty patients who suffered from infertility with intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) were enrolled in this prospective trial from October 2018 to December 2019. They were randomly divided into a PRF...

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, and currently no optimal treatment is available. Tenghuang Jiangu Formula (THJGF), a traditional Chinese medicine composed by several herb components, has been shown in several clinical trials a promising result in the management of OA. However, the mechanism of thi...

Objectives: Thin endometrium is a common problem encountered in the field of assisted reproductive technology. We explored the effects of platelet-rich fibrin in a thin endometrium rat model. Materials and methods: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. For the thin endometrium group, endometria of left uteri were inject...

Background Delivery of endothelial cells into the ischemic tissue is emerging as an alternative approach in revascularization of injured tissues by means of angiogenesis to restore organ function. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are a readily accessible source of the mesenchymal stem cell with rapid expansion and multidifferentiation potential. T...

Microspheres have gained immense popularity in bone tissue engineering because of their unique properties as injectable scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. Herein, we evaluated the feasibility of using poly (γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) microspheres for bone engineering by examining the attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation...

Porous microspheres, which can provide sufficient internal space for cell in-growth and protect cells during injection have attracted widespread attention in bone tissue engineering. Hydroxyapatite (HA)/polymer composite scaffolds have been fabricated for bone tissue engineering. The combination between HA and polymer matrix generally includes two...

Background Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) is characterized by progressive intrauterine fibrosis as a consequence of trauma to the basal layer of the endometrium. In an attempt to relieve IUA, many approaches have been applied in the clinic but show limited effects. In this study, we investigated the effect of autologous oral mucosal epithelial cells (...

Preparation of scaffold presents a huge challenge for meniscus tissue engineering, as there are particular biomechanical and biodegradable requirements. Here, an amphiphilic polymer was prepared by grafting hydrophobic poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) with short chain to the hydrophilic biodegradable poly (L-glutamic acid) (PLGA). The PLGA-g-PCL was the...

Objectives: Intrauterine adhesion is a disease involving endometrial fibrosis that arises from injury to the basal layer of the endometrium. Here, we aimed to explore the preventive effects of decellularized and lyophilized amniotic membrane on endometrial fibrosis in a rat model of intrauterine adhesion. Materials and methods: Twenty-four Sprag...

Shape memory scaffolds as the minimally invasive cell carriers are a promising biomaterial for tissue regeneration. Since cell fate is critical for successful regeneration, the influence of mechanostructural stimuli induced by shape memory on cell fate is worthy to be put emphasis on. In this study, we developed a poly(L-glutamic acid)-based (PLGA-...

Porous microcarriers have aroused increasing attention recently, which can create a protected environment for sufficient cell seeding density, facilitate oxygen and nutrient transfer, and well support the cell attachment and growth. In this study, porous microcarriers fabricated from the strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite-graft-poly(γ-benzyl-L-gl...

Newborn neurons undergo inside-out migration to their final destinations during neocortical development. Reelin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of disabled 1 (Dab1) is a critical mechanism controlling cortical neuron migration. However, the roles of Reelin-independent phosphorylation of Dab1 remain unclear. Here, we report that deleted in colorect...

Background Strontium is a widely used anti-osteoporotic agent due to its dual effects on inhibiting bone resorption and stimulating bone formation. Thus, we studied the dose response of strontium on osteo-inductive efficiency in human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). Method Qualitative alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, quantitative ALP activi...

The microcarrier system offers an attractive method for cellular amplification and phenotype enhancement in the field of bone tissue engineering. However, it remains a challenge to fabricate porous microcarriers with osteoinductive activity for speedy and high-quality osseointegration in regeneration of serious complication of bone fracture, like no...

The key barrier to clinical applications of tissue engineering scaffolds is the limitation of rapid and sufficient vascularization. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), especially multicellular aggregates, exhibited a promising angiogenic activity. Herein, we designed a series of poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA)-based hydrogels with tunable hydration to...

In tissue engineering, porous microcarriers have emerged as cell carriers for the regeneration and repair of tissue defects. It is reported that a large pore size can greatly promote cellular infiltration and proliferation. Therefore, the injectable microcarriers with large pore size are of great value. However, enlarging pore size (>50 μm) of typi...

Staphylococcus aureus is the most popular pathogen found in septic arthritis. Despite bacteria was eradicated from joint cavity during acute infection, destruction of articular cartilage often continues for years, leading to permanent joint damage. The mechanism responsible for this consistent catabolic reaction in septic arthritis remains unclear....

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying human adipose-derived stem cell (hASC) differentiation to smooth muscle may contribute to the development of effective therapies for relevant muscle defects, such as bladder wall and urethral defects. A previous study described the differentiation of hASCs to smooth muscle cells (SMCs) by transformi...

Objective(s) Naringin has been reported to regulate bone metabolism. However, its effect on osteogenesis remains unclear. The aim was to investigate the effect of naringin on osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) through the activation of the ERK signaling pathway in osteogenic differentiation. Materials a...

Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) resulted from epidural fibrosis is one major complication of laminectomy. The purpose of present study is to reconstruct epidural fat by tissue engineering to reduce epidural fibrosis in a rabbit laminectomy model. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) isolated from subcutaneous fat of rabbits were expanded to passa...

Statement of significance: Vascularization is of great importance to adipose tissue regeneration. Adipose derived stem cell (ASC) spheroids possessed not only the high efficiency of vascularization, but also the improved differentiation ability. Several research works have illustrated the advantage of ASC spheroids in vascularization. However, in...

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. MiR-21 and miR-155 are the most amplified miRNAs in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), and are critical promoters of NSCLC progression. However, it remains unclear how miR-21 and miR-155 induce cancer progression, and whether these miRNAs share common targets, such as t...

Osteochondral tissue engineering is challaged by the difficult regeneration of hyaline cartilage and simultaneous regeneration of subchondral bone. In the present study, /hydroxyapatite-graft-poly(L-glutamic acid) (nHA-g-PLGA) was prepared by surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization, which was then used to fabricate osteogenic scaffold (scaffo...

The multifunctional Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is known to participate in maintenance and switches of smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotypes. However, which isoform of CaMKII is involved in differentiation of adult mesenchymal stem cells into contractile SMCs remains unclear. In the present study, we detected γ isoform of C...

The success of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) based articular cartilage tissue engineering is limited by the presence of fibrous tissue in generated cartilage, which is associated with the current scaffold strategy that promotes cellular adhesion and spreading. Here we design a non-fouling scaffold based on amide bonded poly(l-glutamic acid) (PLGA)...

Porous microcarriers were fabricated from synthesized poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) polymer to engineer adipose tissue with lobule-like structure via the injectable approach. The adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) seeded on porous PBLG microcarriers was determined by adipogenic gene expression and glycerol-3-...

Although previous studies have characterized the osteogenic potential of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) in vitro and in vivo, the molecular mechanism involved remains to be fully determined. Previously, we demonstrated that the ERK pathway plays an important role in osteogenesis and regulation of the balance between osteogenesis and...

We investigated the feasibility of the intra-articular injection of resveratrol for preventing the progression of existing cartilage degeneration in a mouse model of osteoarthritis (OA). The effects of resveratrol on the expression of silent information regulator 2 type 1 (SIRT1), hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) and catabolic factors in OA car...

Injectable, in situ forming hydrogels have exhibited many advantages in regenerative medicine. Herein, we present the novel design of poly(L-glutamic acid) injectable hydrogels via the self-crosslinking of adipic dihydrazide (ADH)-modified poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA–ADH) and aldehyde-modified poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA–CHO), and investigate their...

In search of an injectable cellular delivery vehicle for tissue regeneration, porous microcarriers fabricated from synthetic polypeptide of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) were developed. The structural and morphological characteristics of the microcarriers could be adjusted by changing the amounts of gelatin porogen. PBLG microcarriers fabricate...

Injectable hydrogels as an important biomaterial class have been widely used in regenerative medicine. A series of injectable poly(L-glutamic acid)/alginate (PLGA/ALG) hydrogels were fabricated by self-crosslinking of hydrazide-modified poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA-ADH) and aldehyde-modified alginate (ALG-CHO). Both the degree of PLGA modification a...

Purpose: Spinal epidural fibrosis and adhesion are implicated as one of the key factors of failed back surgery syndrome, which may cause dura mater compression or peridural tethering, resulting in persistent backache and leg pain. Various materials or drugs have been used to inhibit formation of epidural fibrosis and reduce the compressive effect...

Background: Although the systemic administration of deferoxamine (DFO) is protective in experimental models of normal ischemic flap and diabetic wound, its effect on diabetic flap ischemia using a local injection remains unknown. Objective: To explore the feasibility of local injection of DFO to improve the survival of ischemic random skin flaps...

During embryonic development of the mammalian cerebral cortex, postmitotic cortical neurons migrate radially from the ventricular zone to the cortical plate. Proper migration involves the correct orientation of migrating neurons and the transition from a multipolar to a mature bipolar morphology. Herein, we report that the 2 isoforms of Myosin-10 (...

In this study, nanostructures of nickel have been successfully deposited on graphene nanosheet by direct electrochemical deposition. The morphology, nickel content, and magnetic properties of the graphene as well as composites were examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopic, elemental analysis, and vibrating sample...

The present study was designed to investigate the possibility of full thickness defects repair in porcine articular cartilage weight bearing area using chondrogenic differentiated autologous adipose derived stem cells (ASCs) with a follow-up of 3 months and 6 months, which is successive to our previous study on non-weight bearing area. The isolated...

In this study, a novel kind of porous poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA)/chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) microsphere was developed through the electrostatic interaction between PLGA and chitosan. By adjusting the formula parameters, chitosan microspheres with average pore size of 47.5±5.4 μm were firstly developed at concentration of 2 wt%, and fr...

The objective of the present study was to explore the mechanisms of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 inhibiting the absorption of tissue engineering cartilage. We transfected TGF-β1 gene into bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and co-cultured with interferon (IFN)-γ and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and CD4(+) CD25(-) T lymphocytes. We...

As a synthetic polypeptide, water-soluble poly(L-glutamic acid)(PLGA) was designed to fabricate scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering. Chitosan (CHI) was employed as the physical cross-linking composition to realize the construction of scaffold. The PLGA/CHI scaffold acted as a sponge with a swelling ratio of 760±45% (mass%), showing promised b...

Porous scaffolds composed of polypeptides and polysaccharides have remarkable biocompatibility and potential to mimic an extracellular matrix for tissue engineering. This study presented a novel design of polyelectrolyte complex porous scaffolds of a synthetic polypeptide poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA) and a natural polysaccharide chitosan (CS) using...

Adipose tissue derived stem cells (ASCs) based therapies for the repair and regeneration of various tissues have been widely investigated recently because of their multilineage potential and self-renewal capability. Our previous study demonstrated that autologous ASCs loaded onto natural coral scaffolds could repair cranial critical-sized defects (...

We investigated the effect of a novel porous scaffold composed with water-soluble poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA) and chitosan (CS) on the attachment, proliferation, and adipogenic differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived adult stem cells (ADSCs) in vitro and in vivo. Scanning electron microscope and fluorescent Dil labeling were used to reveal...

Abstract Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can differentiate into smooth muscle cells and have been engineered into elastic small diameter blood vessel walls in vitro. However, the mechanisms involved in the development of 3-D vascular tissue remain poorly understood. The present study analyzed protein expression profiles of engineered blood vessel...

Epidural fibrosis resulted from epidural fat destruction following laminectomy operation is regarded as a main cause of failed back surgery syndrome, which represents one of the most common complications in spine surgery. Up to now, the effectiveness of currently available treatments to prevent such a syndrome is quite limited. In the present study...

Myosin X (Myo10) with pleckstrin homology (PH) domains is a motor protein acting in filopodium initiation and extension. However, its potential role has not been fully understood, especially in neuronal development. In the present study the preferential accumulation of Myo10 in axon tips has been revealed in primary culture of hippocampal neurons w...

A, Quantitative analysis of neurites number. B, Neurons transfected with scramble miRNA and Myo10 miRNA respectively were stained with anti-Tau-1 antibody at DIV 5. Single colour images (GFP and Tau-1) for assessment of the distribution of Tau-1 in Myo10-depleted neurons. Scale bar, 20 µm. ns, no significant difference. (TIF)

A, HA-tagged PHMF and Myo10 miRNA were co-electroporated into neurons with the total amount of 6 µg at mole ratio of 1∶1 for 2–2.5×106 neurons. At DIV 2, the neurons were stained with GFP and HA antibodies to show expression of microRNA sequence and PHMF respectively. B, Percentage of neurons with single GFP, single HA and GFP/HA staining. GFP and...

A, Myo10 sequence (NM_019472). The KK in red colour were mutated to AA in green. B, Hippocampal neurons transfected with pEGFP-C1 to visualize the entire neurite were immuno-stained with Myo10 antibody at 24 h after plating with short-term application of DMSO, 20 µM LY 294002 and 50 µM LY 294002. C, Relative immune-fluorescence intensity of Myo10 i...

: To investigate the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the pi isoform of glutathione S-transferase (GSTP1) gene and the risk of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Chinese case-control cohort. : A total of 131 Chinese patients with exudative AMD and 138 control individuals were recruited. Genomic DNA was extra...

Macular pigment may protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by its capacity to absorb blue light and scavenge free radicals. Current information on human macular pigment density has been largely from studies on Caucasian populations. The purpose of this study was to assess macular pigment density and its determinant factors in a Chin...

To determine the interaction of susceptibility genes in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Chinese case-control cohort. It was a case-control study. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previousely genotyped in cases with exudative AMD and control indivisuals, including complement factor H (CFH) non-coding var...

A methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(α,L-glutamic acid) (mPEGGA) diblock copolymer is synthesized. Using QCM measurements, it is shown that (CS/mPEGGA)(n) film construction takes place over two build-up stages (exponential-to-linear). UV-vis spectra reveal the regular increase of the multilayer film growth at different molecular weights of mPE...

Tissue-engineered epidermal membranes are useful for clinical wound healing. To facilitate these products in the clinic, optimized storage methods need to be developed. We studied the efficiency of extracellular trehalose at various concentrations for cryopreserving human tissue-engineered epidermal membranes compared with that of dimethyl-sulfoxid...

Bioactive PLLA/surface-grafted silica (g-SiO₂) nanocomposite scaffolds were fabricated by solid-liquid phase separation method. And solid PLLA/g-SiO₂ nanocomposite films were prepared by solution casting method. A series of parallel tube-like morphology and internal ladder-like structure of PLLA/g-SiO₂ nanocomposite scaffolds were observed by SEM....

A novel PAA-b-PLGA diblock copolymer is synthesized and characterized that has excellent cell adhesion and biocompatibility. Fluorescent DiO labeling is used to monitor the attachment and growth of hASCs on the film surface, and cell proliferation over time is studied. Results show that PLLA modified by a CS/PAA-b-PLGA multilayer film can promote t...

Tissue engineering technique seems to be the best strategy for treating the urethra disease in the near future. In present study, porcine acellular corpus spongiosum matrices (ACSMs) were combined with autologus corporal smooth muscle cells (CSMCs) and lingual keratinocytes by static-dynamic seeding method to form three-dimensional (3D) "neourethra...

Our previous study indicates that akermanite, a type of Ca-, Mg-, Si-containing bioceramic, can promote the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we investigated the effect of the extract from akermanite, on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. The original extract was obtained at 200 mg akerm...

The osteogenic capacity of human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, cell labeling and storage are becoming necessary for researching the potential therapeutic use of UCB-MSCs for bone tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of cryop...

Porous scaffolds based on water-soluble PLGA and CS were prepared. The pores were verified to be alveolate, uniform and continuous. The effects of freezing temperature, freeze-drying time, solid content and molecular weight of reactants on the pore structure of the scaffolds were studied. The scaffold morphology could be adjusted by changing the fr...

Skin flaps are frequently performed for diabetic patients in spite of countless detrimental effects of diabetes on flap survival, most of which may result from a defective response of the tissues to low oxygen tension. In this study, the authors explored the feasibility of applying human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) to increase the viability o...

Tissue engineering aims to produce a functional tissue replacement to repair defects. Tissue reconstruction is an essential step toward the clinical application of engineered tissues. Significant progress has recently been achieved in this field. In our laboratory, we focus on construction of cartilage, tendon and bone. The purpose of this review w...

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and most hematopoietic cells express platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), which is the cell surface protein also expressed in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. To better understand how PECAM-1(+) ES cells differentiate into PECAM-1(+) hematopoietic cells/ECs, 3 cell surface markers, PECAM-1, stage...

As one of the adult stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have become an important seed cell source for tissue engineering recently. But whether the thawed cryopreserved ADSCs could be used to tissue engineered bone remains unknown. To investigate the effect of cryopreservation on the growth and osteogenesis of ADSCs in vitro. The ADSCs we...

To investigate the influence of initial copolymer compositions of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) on mechanical properties, degradation behavior and biological properties of the scaffolds, porous PLGA scaffolds with different initial copolymer compositions (lactide/glycolide (PLA/PGA) molar ratio: 50:50, 70:30 and 80:20) were prepared by solv...

To assess the feasibility of seeding adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) onto bladder acellular matrix grafts (BAMGs) for bladder reconstruction in a rabbit model. Autologous ADSCs were isolated, expanded and identified by flow cytometry. In the experimental group, ADSCs were seeded onto BAMGS for reconstructing bladder defects in 12 male rabbits. U...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of biomaterials, including bladder submucosa (BAMG), small intestinal submucosa (SIS), acellular corpus spongiosum matrix (ACSM), and polyglycolic acid (PGA), to identify the optimal scaffold for urethral tissue engineering. Tensile mechanical testing was conducted...

Calcium phosphate bioceramics has a broad application prospect because of good biocompatibility, but porous scaffolds with complex shape can not be prepared by the traditional methods. To fabricate porous calcium phosphate ceramics by rapid prototyping and to investigate the in vitro osteogenic activities. The porous calcium phosphate ceramics was...

We have previously obtained a clonal population of cells from human foreskin that is able to differentiate into mesodermal, ectodermal and endodermal progenies. It is of great interest to know whether these cells could be further differentiated into functional insulin-producing cells. Sixty-one single-cell-derived dermal fibroblast clones were esta...

Preservation of tissue-engineered (TE) bone is one of the key problems needed to be solved for its clinic application and industrialization. Traditional cryopreservation has been restricted because of the damages caused by ice formation and solution. Hypothermic preservation at 4 degrees C has been widely used for the preservation of transplanted o...