Effect of adipose-derived stem cells on acellular dermal matrix engraftment in a rabbit model of breast reconstruction.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) is frequently used in implant-based breast reconstruction. Although there are several advantages, ADM implantation also increases the risk of certain complications. Recently, ADM seeded with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were shown to induce angiogenesis and improve wound healing. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ADSCs on ADM engraftment in a rabbit model of implant-based breast reconstruction. Silicone implants were inserted to submuscular pocket of 16 female New Zealand rabbits using ADM with or without seeding of fluorescent PKH26-labelled rabbit ADSCs. The marginal and central ADMs in each group were evaluated at 1 and 3 months after insertion. We performed a histological analysis including the number of CD31 + blood vessels, vimentin + fibroblasts and lymphocytes; live/dead analysis; and gene expression analysis related to angiogenesis, inflammation and hypoxia. The implant was exposed in one rabbit with ADM without ADSCs during the study period. At 1 month, a histological analysis revealed more blood vessels and fibroblasts and reduced immune cell infiltration in marginal ADM with ADSCs. At 3 months, only angiogenesis was histologically different between groups. Conversely, cellularity was not significantly different in the central ADM between groups at month 1 or 3. ADSC supplementation increased the gene expression level

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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