The effect of bioactivity of airway epithelial cells using methacrylated gelatin scaffold loaded with exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract The current evidence provides support for the involvement of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in the regulation of airway epithelial cells. However, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms remains elusive. This study aimed to isolate and characterize BMSC‐derived exosomes (BMSC‐Exos) and epithelial cells (ECs) through primary culture. Subsequently, the impact of BMSC‐Exos on ECs was assessed in vitro, and sequencing analysis was conducted to identify potential molecular mechanisms involved in these interactions. Finally, the efficacy of BMSC‐Exos was evaluated in animal models in vivo. In this study, primary BMSCs and ECs were efficiently isolated and cultured, and high‐purity Exos were obtained. Upon uptake of BMSC‐Exos, ECs exhibited enhanced proliferation ( p < .05), while migration showed no difference ( p > .05). Notably, invasion demonstrated significant difference ( p < .05). Sequencing analysis suggested that miR‐21‐5p may be the key molecule responsible for the effects of BMSC‐Exos, potentially mediated through the MAPK or PI3k‐Akt signaling pathway. The in vivo experiments showed that the presence of methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) loaded with BMSC‐Exos in composite scaffold significantly enhanced epithelial crawling in the patches in comparison to the pure decellularized group. In conclusion, this scheme provides a solid theoretical foundation and novel insights for the research and clinical application of tracheal replacement in the field of tissue engineering.