Improving 2D and 3D Skin In Vitro Models Using Macromolecular Crowding

Summary

We present a protocol to obtain cell-derived matrices rich in extracellular matrix proteins, using macromolecular crowders (MMC). In addition, we present a protocol which incorporates MMC in 3D organotypic skin co-culture generation, which reduces culture time while maintaining maturity of construct.

Abstract

The glycoprotein family of collagens represents the main structural proteins in the human body, and are key components of biomaterials used in modern tissue engineering. A technical bottleneck is the deposition of collagen in vitro, as it is notoriously slow, resulting in sub-optimal formation of connective tissue and subsequent tissue cohesion, particularly in skin models. Here, we describe a method which involves the addition of differentially-sized sucrose co-polymers to skin cultures to generate macromolecular crowding (MMC), which results in a dramatic enhancement of collagen deposition. Particularly, dermal fibroblasts deposited a significant amount of collagen I/IV/VII and fibronectin under MMC in comparison to controls.

The protocol also describes a method to decellularize crowded cell layers, exposing significant amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM) which were retained on the culture surface as evidenced by immunocytochemistry. Total matrix mass and distribution pattern was studied using interference reflection microscopy. Interestingly, fibroblasts, keratinocytes and co-cultures produced cell-derived matrices (CDM) of varying composition and morphology. CDM could be used as "bio-scaffolds" for secondary cell seeding, where the current use of coatings or scaffolds, typically from xenogenic animal sources, can be avoided, thus moving towards more clinically relevant applications.

In addition, this protocol describes the application of MMC during the submerged phase of a 3D-organotypic skin co-culture model which was sufficient to enhance ECM deposition in the dermo-epidermal junction (DEJ), in particular, collagen VII, the major component of anchoring fibrils. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of anchoring fibrils in cultures developed with MMC, as compared to controls. This is significant as anchoring fibrils tether the dermis to the epidermis, hence, having a pre-formed mature DEJ may benefit skin graft recipients in terms of graft stability and overall wound healing. Furthermore, culture time was condensed from 5 weeks to 3 weeks to obtain a mature construct, when using MMC, reducing costs.

Introduction

The skin forms a protective barrier by preventing water loss and pathogen entry. It is made up of three major components; the stromal rich dermis¹, a stratified epidermis^2,3,4 on top of it, and the dermo-epidermal junction in between^5,6. The dermis is composed largely of collagen and elastic fibers and is sparsely populated with fibroblasts⁷. In contrast, the cell-rich epidermis is composed of multiple layers of keratinocytes. The keratinocytes of the inner-most layer are proliferative and provide new basal cells which renew and replace terminally differentiating keratinocytes that constantly move to the outer-most layer of ....

Protocol

1. Macromolecular Crowding in 2D Skin Cell Cultures

1. Seed 50,000 cells (primary fibroblasts or primary keratinocytes or co-culture of primary fibroblasts and keratinocytes) per well of a 24-well plate. Seed cells in 1 ml of the corresponding cell type growth media.
2. Allow cells to adhere overnight, in a 37 °C incubator at 5% CO₂.
3. Discard old media and replace with 1 ml fresh media containing macromolecular crowders and 100 µM ascorbic acid. Use a crowder cocktail consisting of 37.5 mg/ml Ficoll 70 and 25 mg/ml Ficoll 400. Use fibroblast media (FM) consisting of DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% penicillin-streptom....

Results

Macromolecular crowding was able to enhance ECM deposition, in particular, fibroblasts deposited more collagen I, IV and fibronectin as compared to control cultures (Figure 1, Cell layer; 1A, collagen I; 1B, collagen IV; 1C, fibronectin). Upon decellularization, it was evident that fibroblasts were the main depositors of collagen I, IV and fibronectin as compared to keratinocytes (Figure 1, Matrix).

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Discussion

Enhanced extracellular matrix is obtained upon introduction of macromolecular crowders to cell culture, owing to the excluded volume effect which increases the propeptide cleavage by proteinases. This results in extracellular matrix, in particular collagen, to be processed faster and deposited on the culture surface. While other groups have obtained thick fibroblast cell layers, it involved a culture time of several weeks²⁰. In contrast, MMC described in this Protocol, dramatically shortens the culture time wh.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Ascorbic acid	Wako	013-12061	Cell culture media additive
Cell culture inserts  (6-well format)	Greiner Bio-One	657610	Organotypic cultures
Citrate solution	Dako	S2369	DakoCytomation Target Retrieval Solution Citrate, pH 6 (x10)
Collagen (rat tail)	Corning	354236	Organotypic cultures
CnT-57	CELLnTEC	CnT-57	Cell culture media
DAB Substrate + chromogen kit	Dako	K3468	Histology
Deep-well plate (6-well format)	Corning	355467	Organotypic cultures
ECL detection reagent	GE Healthcare Life Sciences	RPN2106	Amersham ECL Western Blotting Detection Reagent
Electron microscope (TEM)	JEOL	JEM-1010 (100kV)	Transmission electron microscopy
Fibroblast media (FM)			High Glucose-DMEM + 10% Fetal Bovine Serum + 1% Penicillin Streptomycin
Ficoll PM70	GE Healthcare Life Sciences	17-0310-05	Macromolecular crowder
Ficoll PM400	GE Healthcare Life Sciences	17-0300-05	Macromolecular crowder
Keratinocyte serum-free media (KSFM)	Life Technologies	17005-042	Cell culture media
Lysis buffer	ThermoFisher Scientific	89900	Lysis buffer for protein extraction. A protease inhibitor (Roche, #11836170001) was added to this lysis buffer.
Microscope	Zeiss	LSM510	Red, green and blue channels to visualize AF594, AF488 and DAPI fluorescent immunostainings (40X mag).
Mounting media (Hydromount)	National Diagnostics	HS-106	Fluorescent staining
Mounting media (Cytoseal)	ThermoFisher Scientific	8310-16	Histology (HRP)
OCT compound (Tissue Tek)	Sakura	4583	Embedding for cryotomy
Penicillin-streptomycin antibiotics	Sigma Aldrich	A5955	Cell culture media additive
Primary antibodies
Anti-Collagen I antibody	Abcam	#ab6308
Anti-Collagen Type IV	Novocastra	#NCL-COLL-IV
Anti-collagen VII			LH7.2 (in house)
Anti-Fibronectin antibody	Abcam	#ab2413
Reducing agent	ThermoFisher Scientific	NP0009	Western blot
Sample buffer	ThermoFisher Scientific	NP0008	Western blot
Secondary antibodies (Immunostaining)
4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI)	Sigma Aldrich	#D9542
AlexaFluor 594 goat-anti-rabbit	ThermoFisher Scientific	#A-11037
AlexaFluor 594 goat-anti-mouse	ThermoFisher Scientific	#A-11005
AlexaFluor 488 chicken-anti-rabbit	ThermoFisher Scientific	#A-21441
AlexaFluor 488 goat-anti-mouse	ThermoFisher Scientific	#A-11001
Secondary antibodies (HRP)	Dako	Envision + System - HRP Labelled Polymer Anti-Rabbit and Anti-Mouse	undiluted
Sodium deoxycholate	Prodotti Chimicie Alimentari		Decellularization
Stratification media
Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
Ham’s F12			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
10% fetal bovine serum			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
100 U/ml penicillin and 100 U/ml streptomycin			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
0.4 mg/ml hydrocortisone			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
5 mg/ml insulin			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
1.8·10-4 M adenine			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
5 mg/ml transferrin			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
2·10- 11 M triiodothyronine			Used during the air-liquid interface of organotypic cultures. This media is added to the outside of the cell-culture insert.
Trypsin	Biopolis Shared Facilities	0.125% Trypsin/Versene   pH 7.0 + 0.3	Used to trypsinize cells