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Biomaterials

Biomaterials - Poster Session A

Poster B4 - 3D printed model nasal microbiome tissues

Thursday, October 24, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST
Location: Exhibit Hall E, F & G

Introduction:  The human nasal cavity harbors trillions of microbes that play a manifold of roles in immune training and disease pathology. However, studying complex interactions host, mucus and microbes is challenging due to the lack of accessible tools. This study aims to utilize a synthetic mucus-like material capable of mimicking diverse biochemical profiles of native human mucus to develop multilayered 3D constructs of bacteria-mucus-mammalian cell systems, replicating nasal tract topography and possibly could be used for other mucus protected organs such as lungs and GI tract.

Materials and

Methods:  We employed a published synthetic mucus-like material prepared from self-assembly of Fmoc-pentafluoro phenylamine, a non-natural fluorinated amino acid. To enable 3D bacteriologic printing applications, the mucus analogue was modified with xanthan gum (for printability) and formulated with bovine mucin (for bacterial integration). Multiparametric experiments optimized amino acid (5-20mM), mucin (0.005-0.1 wt%) and xanthan gum (0.005-2 wt%) concentration, in addition to assembly time and extrusion pressure to construct stable printed scaffolds. Formulation was quantitatively compared via calculation of a printability score.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: Optimal printability was achieved with a gel composition of 20mM amino acid, 0.005 wt% mucin and 0.5% xanthan gum. A curing time of 48 hours was found to yield stable, self-supporting materials. Feature sizes as small as 3x3mm could be achieved for mucus prints, and fluorescent microscopy confirmed the incorporation of the material into multilayered bacteria-mucus-mammalian cell 3D constructs.
This study demonstrates the fabrication of multilayered 3D constructs integrating bacteria, mucus, and mammalian cells using a synthetic mucus-like material and 3D printing technology. The adapted mucus-like material is applicable for creating nasal models, offering insights into complex host-mucus-microbe interactions within the nasal tract.The 3D printed nasal model presents a promising and accessible tool for studying host-mucus-microbe interactions. The ability to create multilayered 3D constructs allows researchers to replicate the topography of the nasal tract and potentially extend this methodology to other mucus-protected organs such as the lungs and gastrointestinal tract. Beyond research applications, this model shows potential for drug delivery and in vitro tissue studies, boasting advantages of cost-effectiveness and scalability.

Acknowledgements (Optional):