Fibroblasts Derived From Human Adipose Stem Cells Produce More Effective Extracellular Matrix and Migrate Faster Compared to Primary Dermal Fibroblasts.

Background: The efficacy of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) to improve wound healing has been extensively investigated. Unfortunately, no consistent reports have described significant improvements in healing time or outcomes in large-scale clinical trials utilizing human ASCs. Primarily, these studies examined undifferentiated ASCs as opposed to specific cells differentiated from ASCs.

Objectives: The authors sought to examine the properties of fibroblasts differentiated from human ASCs (dFib cells) compared with those of primary dermal fibroblasts.

Methods: ASCs were isolated from healthy female patients, differentiated into dFib cells, and compared with intra-patient primary dermal fibroblasts for morphology, extracellular matrix (ECM) marker expression, and cell migration employing qPCR, western blot, and scratch test assays.

Results: De novo differentiated fibroblasts produce higher levels of the healthy ECM markers Elastin, Fibronectin, and Collagen 1 compared with primary fibroblasts. In contrast, dFib cells have reduced expression of the scar tissue markers αSMA, Collagen 3, and MMP-1. Further, dFib cells close scratch defects more quickly than primary dermal fibroblasts (32 ± 12.85 hours vs 64 ± 13.85 hours, P < 0.01) in a scratch test assay.

Conclusions: These data suggest that fibroblasts newly differentiated from human ASCs migrate well and produce a robust ECM, the combination of which may contribute to improved wound healing, and thus should be further investigated.