BACKGROUND: Collagen is a key component of connective tissue and has been frequently used in the fabrication of medical devices for tissue regeneration. Human-originated collagen is particularly appealing due to its low immune response as an allograft biomaterial compared to xenografts and its ability to accelerate the regeneration process. Ethically and economically, adipose tissues available from liposuction clinics are a good resource to obtain human collagen.However, studies are still scarce on the extraction and characterization of human collagen, which originates from adipose tissue. The aim of this study is to establish a novel and simple method to extract collagen from human adipose tissue, characterize the collagen, and compare it with commercial-grade porcine collagen for tissue engineering applications. METHODS: We developed a method to extract the collagen from human adipose tissue under quasi-Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions, including freezing the tissue, blood removal, and ethanol-based purification. Various techniques, including protein quantification, decellularization assessment, SDS-PAGE, FTIR, and CD spectroscopy analysis, were used for characterization. Amino acid composition was compared with commercial collagen. Biocompatibility and cell proliferation tests were performed, and in vitro tests using collagen sponge scaffolds were conducted with statistical analysis. RESULTS: Our results showed that this human adipose-derived collagen was equivalent in quality to commercially available porcine collagen. In vitro testing demonstrated high cell attachment and the promotion of cell proliferation. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we developed a simple and novel method to extract and characterize collagen and extracellular matrix from human adipose tissue, offering a potential alternative to animal-derived collagen for xeno-free tissue engineering applications.

Purpose: Hemophilia A is a genetic disorder characterized by a lack of factor VIII (FVIII). Emicizumab, a recombinant humanized bispecific monoclonal antibody, mimics the function of FVIII. In this article, we present data on an initial real-world evaluation of emicizumab use in Korean children with severe hemophilia A without inhibitors. Methods: This study was conducted from June 2020 to March 2024 at 4 centers in Korea. The participants were pediatric patients with severe hemophilia A without inhibitors who had received emicizumab treatment for over 6 months. The mean and median annualized bleeding rates (ABRs) and mean and median annual joint bleeding rates (AJBRs) were compared. Results: Each of the 21 patients in the study received an emicizumab loading regimen of 3 mg/kg weekly for 4 weeks, followed by a modified maintenance regimen of which 2 patients (9.5%) received a 1.5 mg/kg weekly dose, 3 patients (14.3%) received a 6 mg/kg dose every 4 weeks, and the remaining 16 patients (76.2%) received a 3 mg/kg dose every 2 weeks. Before emicizumab prophylaxis initiation, the mean and median ABRs for all patients were 7.04 (SD ± 5.83) and 6.52 (range 0–21.74), respectively. After receiving emicizumab treatment, the mean and mediam ABRs decreased to 0.41 and zero, respectively. Additionally, 85.7% of the patients achieved no bleeding events within 6 months of starting the treatment. Conclusion These first real-world data in Korea indicate that emicizumab is effective and safe for pediatric patients with severe hemophilia A without inhibitors.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a progressive complication among patients with diabetes and the most common cause of end-stage kidney disease. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are known to play a role in kidney disease, thus this study aimed to determine their role in the development of diabetic kidney disease using diabetic murine models. Results: Protein and histological analyses revealed that db/db mice and streptozotocin DN models expressed no significant NET-related proteins, myeloperoxidase, citrullinated histone H3 (citH3), neutrophil elastase, and lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus G6D (Ly6G). However, the inflamed individuals in the DN model showed that citH3 and Ly6G were highly deposited in the renal system based on immunohistochemistry images. In vitro, NET treatment did not induce apoptosis in glomerular endothelial and renal tubular epithelial cells. NET inhibition by DNase administration demonstrated no significant changes in cell apoptosis. Conclusions NET-related proteins were only expressed in the DN model with tubulointerstitial inflammation. Our study revealed that NETs are only induced in mice with hyperglycemia-induced inflammation.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a progressive complication among patients with diabetes and the most common cause of end-stage kidney disease. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are known to play a role in kidney disease, thus this study aimed to determine their role in the development of diabetic kidney disease using diabetic murine models. Results: Protein and histological analyses revealed that db/db mice and streptozotocin DN models expressed no significant NET-related proteins, myeloperoxidase, citrullinated histone H3 (citH3), neutrophil elastase, and lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus G6D (Ly6G). However, the inflamed individuals in the DN model showed that citH3 and Ly6G were highly deposited in the renal system based on immunohistochemistry images. In vitro, NET treatment did not induce apoptosis in glomerular endothelial and renal tubular epithelial cells. NET inhibition by DNase administration demonstrated no significant changes in cell apoptosis. Conclusions NET-related proteins were only expressed in the DN model with tubulointerstitial inflammation. Our study revealed that NETs are only induced in mice with hyperglycemia-induced inflammation.

Purpose: Hemophilia A is a genetic disorder characterized by a lack of factor VIII (FVIII). Emicizumab, a recombinant humanized bispecific monoclonal antibody, mimics the function of FVIII. In this article, we present data on an initial real-world evaluation of emicizumab use in Korean children with severe hemophilia A without inhibitors. Methods: This study was conducted from June 2020 to March 2024 at 4 centers in Korea. The participants were pediatric patients with severe hemophilia A without inhibitors who had received emicizumab treatment for over 6 months. The mean and median annualized bleeding rates (ABRs) and mean and median annual joint bleeding rates (AJBRs) were compared. Results: Each of the 21 patients in the study received an emicizumab loading regimen of 3 mg/kg weekly for 4 weeks, followed by a modified maintenance regimen of which 2 patients (9.5%) received a 1.5 mg/kg weekly dose, 3 patients (14.3%) received a 6 mg/kg dose every 4 weeks, and the remaining 16 patients (76.2%) received a 3 mg/kg dose every 2 weeks. Before emicizumab prophylaxis initiation, the mean and median ABRs for all patients were 7.04 (SD ± 5.83) and 6.52 (range 0–21.74), respectively. After receiving emicizumab treatment, the mean and mediam ABRs decreased to 0.41 and zero, respectively. Additionally, 85.7% of the patients achieved no bleeding events within 6 months of starting the treatment. Conclusion These first real-world data in Korea indicate that emicizumab is effective and safe for pediatric patients with severe hemophilia A without inhibitors.