Lung diseases result in the deaths of millions globally every year, and existing treatment methods are insufficient. Current animal models used to study these ailments and experimental therapies fall short in effectiveness. Researchers have recently announced in ACS Applied Bio Materials that they have successfully developed a mucus-based bioink intended for 3D printing lung tissue. This innovation has the potential to support future studies and treatments for chronic lung issues.
Lung diseases result in the deaths of millions globally every year, and existing treatment methods are insufficient. Current animal models used to study these ailments and experimental therapies fall short in effectiveness. Researchers have recently announced in ACS Applied Bio Materials that they have successfully developed a mucus-based bioink intended for 3D printing lung tissue. This innovation has the potential to support future studies and treatments for chronic lung issues.
While some individuals suffering from lung diseases undergo transplants, there is a persistent shortage of donor organs. As a substitute, medications and other treatments are available to alleviate symptoms, but cures for conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis do not exist. Scholars are constantly searching for improved treatments, often testing in rodent models. However, these animal studies may not fully represent the intricate nature of lung diseases in humans, and they might not reliably predict the safety or effectiveness of newly developed drugs. Meanwhile, bioengineers are investigating the creation of lung tissue in laboratory settings, aiming to produce more accurate models for studying human lungs or as possible materials for implants. A notable method involves using 3D printing to create structures that mimic human tissue, yet creating a bioink that supports cell proliferation is still a significant challenge. Thus, Ashok Raichur and his team aimed to address this hurdle.
The researchers started with mucin, a component of mucus that has not been extensively investigated for use in bioprinting. Parts of this antibacterial polymer’s molecular structure bear a resemblance to epidermal growth factor, a protein essential for cell adhesion and growth. Raichur and his team chemically reacted mucin with methacrylic anhydride to develop what they called methacrylated mucin (MuMA), which they then combined with lung cells. They also incorporated hyaluronic acid— a natural polymer found in various tissues— to enhance the bioink’s viscosity and promote cell growth and adherence to MuMA. After printing the ink in patterns resembling round and square grids, they exposed it to blue light to crosslink the MuMA molecules, stabilizing the printed structure into a porous gel that efficiently absorbed water to sustain cell life.
The researchers discovered that the interconnected pores in the gel aided the diffusion of essential nutrients and oxygen, which in turn supported cell growth and the development of lung tissue. The printed structures proved to be non-toxic and gradually biodegraded in physiological conditions, potentially making them viable as implants where the printed framework would be replaced by newly generated lung tissue over time. Furthermore, this bioink could be utilized to create 3D models of lungs for investigating lung disease mechanisms and assessing possible treatments.
The authors acknowledge financial support from the Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology.
