Decellularisation of human adipose tissue for tissue reconstruction
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Decellularisation of human adipose tissue for solubilisation and tissue reconstruction
IRAS ID
258504
Contact name
Jennifer Edwards
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 27 days
Research summary
There is a clinical need for therapies that restore adipose tissue in different patient groups. In diabetic patients, plantar fat pad degeneration leads to biomechanical changes within the foot. These changes contribute to the development of diabetic foot ulcers, the management of which is estimated to cost the NHS over £1 billion annually. Restoration of the plantar fat pad at an early stage of degeneration could delay the development of diabetic ulcers, reducing their burden on the NHS. In patients undergoing breast reconstruction following mastectomy, replacement of adipose tissue with donor tissue could improve on current options requiring tissue autografts.
The aim of this study is to translate a previously developed protocol for decellularisation of porcine adipose to work with human donor adipose. The purpose of decellularisation is to remove cells and cellular proteins from a tissue whilst retaining the integrity of the extracellular matrix (comprised of structural proteins and other biological molecules). The resulting scaffold material can be used to repair or replace damaged tissue without the risk of an adverse immune reaction to cellular proteins, whilst still providing complex biological cues.
The protocol developed for porcine adipose will be adjusted to achieve decellularisation of human adipose. This human adipose extracellular matrix scaffold (hAd) will be analysed to understand any effects that the process has on key extracellular matrix components and tissue biocompatibility. This will include studying the tissue structure (histology), DNA content and biochemical composition, and culturing the tissue with cell lines to look for evidence of cytotoxicity.
Decellularised adipose tissue is a spongy matrix, which could be implanted directly into damaged tissue sites or delivered as a gel for injection into sites where creating an open incision is undesirable. Solubilisation of the hAD to produce injectable tissue gels will form the final stage of the project.REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0757
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jun 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion