Cellulose-Based Hydrogel Matrix Enhances Antimicrobial and Biofilm-Inhibitory Responses of Palatal Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as promising alternatives to fight drug-resistant bacterial infections. This study investigates the antibacterial activity of palatal adipose tissue-derived MSCs (PMSCs), particularly when cultured within a 3D nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel, against four clinically relevant pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa K6, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,923, Bacillus cereus K9 and Escherichia coli O157:H7. This study showed that both PMSCs alone and PMSCs in 3D cellulose-based hydrogel effectively inhibited the growth of bacterial burden. Notably, PMSCs cultured in the 3D system demonstrated an excellent effect, reducing bacterial burden by up to 14 log in E. coli and 12 log in P. aeruginosa K6 at a 120 & micro;L inoculum after 2 h of incubation. RT-PCR and immunocytochemical analyses found out a remarkable upregulation of the Cathelicidin (LL-37) in PMSCs 3D cultures compared to PMSCs. Furthermore, 3D cellulose-based hydrogel exhibited a significant biofilm-inhibitory effect, reaching a 57.65% reduction. The results demonstrated the importance of 3D cellulose-based hydrogel for treating antibiotic-resistant infections. PMSC therapy based on 3D hydrogel may therefore be offered as more effective antimicrobial agent to overcome drug-resistant bacterial infections.