Rapidly decellularized adipose tissue induces soft tissue vascularization in potential anatomical spaces

Decellularized tissues provide biological cues owing to the wealth of structural and regulatory factors that promote angiogenesis, adipogenesis, and myogenesis and facilitate neurite outgrowth. Here, we demonstrated the advantages of decellularized adipose tissue (adipoECM) over defined collagen-based biomaterials for host tissue integration. Three batches of human adipose tissue were decellularized using a rapid decellularization protocol and analyzed using mass spectrometry. To assess the biological activity of the decellularized materials, adipoECM and a reference standard of care biomaterial (Integra®DRT, also containing collagen I and glycosaminoglycans) were implanted subcutaneously, but far from the wound bed (in anatomical potential spaces) of immunocompetent BALB/c mice. The mice were euthanized in the acute (1 day) and chronic (day 60) inflammatory reaction phases, followed by biomaterial excision and Masson’s trichrome immunohistofluorescence imaging of the paraffin-embedded specimens. Each batch of processed tissue passed a quality control check, showing a low level of donor genomic DNA, lack of nuclei, lipids, endotoxins, and bacterial contamination. Mass spectrometry revealed that all batches of decellularized tissue mainly contained collagen I and, to a lesser degree, collagen III, collagen IV, collagen V, laminin, fibrillin, fibronectin, tenascin, and elastin. No acute inflammatory reaction was observed in either material one day post-transplantation. At 60 days post-implantation, different cell types were detected in adipoECM specimens, whereas Integra®DRT remained acellular. Additional immunohistochemical staining of adipoECM revealed CD31-positive cells in the blood vessels. Mesenchymal (CD90 positive) and myeloid (CD14 positive) cells were also detected. Primary cell types involved in soft tissue healing and remodeling were found in the adipoECM-treated group. The ingrowth of blood vessels and mesenchymal cells confirmed the effective integration of adipoECM with host tissues. Our results demonstrate that decellularized adipose tissue implanted away from the wound bed possesses contextual biological activities that promote efficient integration with host tissues.