Scientists have developed a new biopolymer called PAMA and formulated it in the form of a hydrogel to promote the regeneration of muscle tissue in rats and treat musculoskeletal injuries in various situations.
Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz and a team at the Technical University of Denmark are researching the healing properties of bacteria and making significant advances in tissue engineering and cell therapy.
Using bacterial bioproduction facilities, the team developed a new biopolymer with tissue-healing properties, which they then used to create a durable, resilient and elastic hydrogel for muscle tissue regeneration. The research was published in the journal Bioactive Materials and describes how PAMA, a new biopolymer, exhibits the specific characteristics of muscle regeneration.
The new Bactogel, also known as “Bactogel”, has been used to treat muscle injuries in rats with promising results. In vivo studies have shown a significant improvement in muscle tissue formation and a reduction in connective tissue. The PAMA Bactogel exhibits excellent mechanical regeneration, biocompatibility and healing capabilities, setting a new standard for this treatment.
Associate Professor Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz of DTU Health Tech points out that such performance in this area is not available due to the poor mechanical properties of bioactive hydrogels, as they are not tailored to the mechanically demanding environment of musculoskeletal tissues such as muscles.
“I am convinced that our recent findings could lead to more advanced treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in athletes, the elderly, injured soldiers and individuals who have been victims of accidents involving traumatic muscle injuries.”
The team’s efforts led to the discovery of PAMA, which enables tissue regeneration in rats without the use of cells and achieves a potentially improved healing outcome by combining bactogels with muscle progenitor cells or stem cells.
Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz believes that the field of regenerative medicine could be revolutionized by producing bacteria-based polymers or bacterial bacteromers by secreting these polymers onto injured tissue.
Seyyed Vahid Niknezhad, Mehdi Mehrali, Farinaz Ri 10:30 – 15:00 Bioactive Materials: Extremely Durable Bacterial-Derived Hydrogels to Enhance Recovery After Volumetric Muscle Loss (VML) in a Rat Model DOI: 10.1016/IPMA/20/2024.
Funding sources include Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond, Novo Nordisk Foundation, VIDI research programme, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, Marie Skodowska-Curie Fellowship and Horizon 2020.
