Self-Assembled Peptide Hydrogels Loaded with Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Repairing Injured Endometrium and Restoring Fertility

    August 2024 in “ Advanced Healthcare Materials ”
    Xue Lv, Wenjing Niu, Bin Zhang, Jingbo Chen, Shicong Yang, Yuhuan Xue, Yeying Dong, Peiyan Yuan, Yue Pan, Jeremy P. K. Tan, Yi Yan Yang, Xin Ding, Xiaomiao Zhao
    TLDR A new hydrogel with stem cells can repair damaged uterine lining and improve fertility.
    The study presents a novel peptide hydrogel scaffold, self-assembled from peptide IVK8-RGD, designed to deliver umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) for repairing injured endometrium. This hydrogel, which is injectable and adheres to the uterus, supports UC-MSC adhesion and proliferation in a 3D environment. In vivo experiments on rats with endometrial injury demonstrated that the hydrogel loaded with UC-MSCs effectively restores endometrial thickness, reduces fibrosis, and promotes angiogenesis by activating the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. This leads to improved fertility and live birth rates, highlighting the hydrogel's potential to address infertility and recurrent miscarriage due to endometrial damage.
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