Thermoresponsive gel embedding extracellular vesicles from adipose stromal cells improves the healing of colonic anastomoses following irradiation in rats.

Anastomotic leak occurrence is a severe complication after colorectal surgery. Considering the difficulty of treating these leaks and their impact on patient care, there is a strong need for an efficient prevention strategy. We evaluated a combination of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from rat adipose-derived stromal cells with a thermoresponsive gel, Pluronic® F127 (PF-127) to prevent anastomotic leaks. The pro-regenerative and immunomodulatory potencies of EVs are assessed in vitro. In vivo efficacy are assessed in rat with a colonic anastomosis model after irradiation. Endoscopic, anatomical and histological data show a consistent effect of EVs + gel on the healing of colonic anastomosis. These results are illustrated by a smaller anastomotic ulcer size, less fibrosis and less inflammatory infiltrations in the EVs + gel group. This multi-modal investigation is the first to point-out the translational potential of EVs combined with PF-127 for the healing of high-risk colorectal anastomosis.
Competing Interests: Competing interests: H.A., N.M., G.P., A.C.S., C.D., A.C., A.B., B.M., A.M., O.C., I.A.F. declare no competing interest. G.R. received personal fees from FUJIFILM, MEDTRONIC, and grants from NORGINE. F.G., A.S., C.W., and G.R. are co-founders of the spin-off Evora Biosciences. A.S. and C.W. are co-founders of the spin-off EverZom.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)