Marta Gómez Ferrer
@iislafe.es
Postdoctoral Researcher. Regenerative Medicine and Heart Transplantation Unit
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe)
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Clinical Biochemistry, Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, Biochemistry (medical)
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Isabel Ten-Doménech, Victoria Ramos-Garcia, Abel Albiach-Delgado, Jose Luis Moreno-Casillas, Alba Moreno-Giménez, María Gormaz, Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Pilar Sepúlveda, Máximo Vento, Guillermo Quintás,et al.
Elsevier BV
Aaron Boughbina-Portolés, Lorenzo Sanjuan-Navarro, Lusine Hakobyan, Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Yolanda Moliner-Martínez, Pilar Sepúlveda, and Pilar Campíns-Falcó
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
AbstractCarbon black nanomaterial (CB-NM), as an industrial product with a large number of applications, poses a high risk of exposure, and its impact on health needs to be assessed. The most common testing platform for engineered (E)NMs is in vitro toxicity assessment, which requires prior ENM dispersion, stabilization, and characterization in cell culture media. Here, asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to UV–Vis and dynamic light scattering (DLS) detectors in series was used for the study of CB dispersions in cell culture media, optimizing instrumental variables and working conditions. It was possible to disperse CB in a non-ionic surfactant aqueous solution due to the steric effect provided by surfactant molecules attached on the CB surface which prevented agglomeration. The protection provided by the surfactant or by culture media alone was insufficient to ensure good dispersion stability needed for carrying out in vitro toxicity studies. On the other hand, cell culture media in combination with the surfactant improved dispersion stability considerably, enabling the generation of shorter particles and a more favourable zeta potential magnitude, leading to greater stability due to electrostatic repulsion. It was demonstrated that the presence of amino acids in the culture media improved the monodisperse nature and stability of the CB dispersions, and resulted in a turn towards more negative zeta potential values when the pH was above the amino acid isoelectric point (IEP). Culture media used in real cell culture scenarios were also tested, and in vitro toxicity assays were developed optimizing the compatible amount of surfactant. Graphical abstract
Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Elena Amaro-Prellezo, Abel Albiach-Delgado, Isabel Ten-Domenech, Julia Kuligowski, and Pilar Sepúlveda
Frontiers Media SA
IntroductionPremature infants (PIs) are at risk of suffering necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and infants consuming human milk (HM) show a lower incidence than infants receiving formula. The composition of HM has been studied in depth, but the lipid content of HM-derived small extracellular vesicles (HM sEVs) remains unexplored. Identifying these molecules and their biological effects has potential for the treatment of intestinal disorders in PIs and could contribute to the development of HM-based fortified formulas.MethodsWe isolated HM sEVs from HM samples and analyzed their oxylipin content using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, which revealed the presence of anti-inflammatory oxylipins. We then examined the efficacy of a mixture of these oxylipins in combating inflammation and fibrosis, in vitro and in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).ResultsHM-related sEVs contained higher concentrations of oxylipins derived from docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. Three anti-inflammatory oxylipins, 14-HDHA, 17-HDHA, and 19,20-DiHDPA (ω3 OXLP), demonstrated similar efficacy to HM sEVs in preventing cell injury, inducing re-epithelialization, mitigating fibrosis, and modulating immune responses. Both ω3 OXLP and HM sEVs effectively reduced inflammation in IBD-model mice, preventing colon shortening, infiltration of inflammatory cells and tissue fibrosis.DiscussionIncorporating this unique cocktail of oxylipins into fortified milk formulas might reduce the risk of NEC in PIs and also provide immunological and neurodevelopmental support.
Victoria Ramos-Garcia, Isabel Ten-Doménech, Abel Albiach-Delgado, Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Pilar Sepúlveda, Anna Parra-Llorca, Laura Campos-Berga, Alba Moreno-Giménez, Guillermo Quintás, and Julia Kuligowski
Springer US
Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Elena Amaro-Prellezo, Akaitz Dorronsoro, Rafael Sánchez-Sánchez, Ángeles Vicente, Jesús Cosín-Roger, María Dolores Barrachina, María Carmen Baquero, Jaris Valencia, and Pilar Sepúlveda
MDPI AG
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have therapeutic potential in the treatment of several immune disorders, including ulcerative colitis, owing to their regenerative and immunosuppressive properties. We recently showed that MSCs engineered to overexpress hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha and telomerase (MSC-T-HIF) and conditioned with pro-inflammatory stimuli release EVs (EVMSC-T-HIFC) with potent immunomodulatory activity. We tested the efficacy of EVMSC-T-HIFC to repolarize M1 macrophages (Mφ1) to M2-like macrophages (Mφ2-like) by analyzing surface markers and cytokines and performing functional assays in co-culture, including efferocytosis and T-cell proliferation. We also studied the capacity of EVMSC-T-HIFC to dampen the inflammatory response of activated endothelium and modulate fibrosis. Finally, we tested the therapeutic capacity of EVMSC-T-HIFC in an acute colitis model. EVMSC-T-HIFc induced the repolarization of monocytes from Mφ1 to an Mφ2-like phenotype, which was accompanied by reduced inflammatory cytokine release. EVMSC-T-HIFc-treated Mφ1 had similar effects of immunosuppression on activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as Mφ2, and reduced the adhesion of PBMCs to activated endothelium. EVMSC-T-HIFc also prevented myofibroblast differentiation of TGF-β-treated fibroblasts. Finally, administration of EVMSC-T-HIFc promoted healing in a TNBS-induced mouse colitis model in terms of preserving colon length and intestinal mucosa architecture and altering the ratio of Mφ1/ Mφ2 infiltration. In conclusion, EVMSC-T-HIFC have effective anti-inflammatory properties, making them potential therapeutic agents in cell free-based therapies for the treatment of Crohn’s disease and likely other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
Rafael Sánchez-Sánchez, Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Ignacio Reinal, Marc Buigues, Estela Villanueva-Bádenas, Imelda Ontoria-Oviedo, Amparo Hernándiz, Hernán González-King, Esteban Peiró-Molina, Akaitz Dorronsoro,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are an emerging alternative to cell-based therapies to treat many diseases. However, the complexity of producing homogeneous populations of EVs in sufficient amount hampers their clinical use. To address these limitations, we immortalized dental pulp-derived MSC using a human telomerase lentiviral vector and investigated the cardioprotective potential of a hypoxia-regulated EV-derived cargo microRNA, miR-4732-3p. We tested the compared the capacity of a synthetic miR-4732-3p mimic with EVs to confer protection to cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Results showed that OGD-induced cardiomyocytes treated with either EVs or miR-4732-3p showed prolonged spontaneous beating, lowered ROS levels, and less apoptosis. Transfection of the miR-4732-3p mimic was more effective than EVs in stimulating angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo and in reducing fibroblast differentiation upon transforming growth factor beta treatment. Finally, the miR-4732-3p mimic reduced scar tissue and preserved cardiac function when transplanted intramyocardially in infarcted nude rats. Overall, these results indicate that miR-4732-3p is regulated by hypoxia and exerts cardioprotective actions against ischemic insult, with potential application in cell-free-based therapeutic strategies.
Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Estela Villanueva-Badenas, Rafael Sánchez-Sánchez, Christian M. Sánchez-López, Maria Carmen Baquero, Pilar Sepúlveda, and Akaitz Dorronsoro
MDPI AG
Despite the strong evidence for the immunomodulatory activity of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), clinical trials have so far failed to clearly show benefit, likely reflecting methodological shortcomings and lack of standardization. MSC-mediated tissue repair is commonly believed to occur in a paracrine manner, and it has been stated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by MSCs (EVMSC) are able to recapitulate the immunosuppressive properties of parental cells. As a next step, clinical trials to corroborate preclinical studies should be performed. However, effective dose in large mammals, including humans, is quite high and EVs industrial production is hindered by the proliferative senescence that affects MSCs during massive cell expansion. We generated a genetically modified MSC cell line overexpressing hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha and telomerase to increase the therapeutic potency of EVMSC and facilitate their large-scale production. We also developed a cytokine-based preconditioning culture medium to prime the immunomodulatory response of secreted EVs (EVMSC-T-HIFc). We tested the efficacy of this system in vitro and in a delayed-type hypersensitivity mouse model. MSC-T with an HIF-1α-GFP lentiviral vector (MSC-T-HIF) can be effectively expanded to obtain large amounts of EVs without major changes in cell phenotype and EVs composition. EVMSC-T-HIFc suppressed the proliferation of activated T-cells more effectively than did EVs from unmodified MSC in vitro, and significantly blunted the ear-swelling response in vivo by inhibiting cell infiltration and improving tissue integrity. We have developed a long-lived EV source that secretes high quantities of immunosuppressive EVs, facilitating a more standard and cost-effective therapeutic product.
Imelda Ontoria-Oviedo, Akaitz Dorronsoro, Rafael Sánchez, Maria Ciria, Marta Gómez-Ferrer, Marc Buigues, Elena Grueso, Sandra Tejedor, Francisco García-García, Hernán González-King,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane vesicles secreted by most cell types with important roles in cell-to-cell communication. To assess their relevance in the context of heart ischemia, EVs isolated from the AC10 ventricular cardiomyocyte cell line (CM-EVs), exposed to normoxia (Nx) or hypoxia (Hx), were incubated with fibroblasts (Fb) and endothelial cells (EC). CM-EVs were studied using electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), western blotting and proteomic analysis. Results showed that EVs had a strong preference to be internalized by EC over fibroblasts, suggesting an active exosome-based communication mechanism between CM and EC in the heart. In Matrigel tube-formation assays, Hx CM-EVs were inferior to Nx CM-EVs in angiogenesis. By contrast, in a wound-healing assay, wound closure was faster in fibroblasts treated with Hx CM-EVs than with Nx CM-EVs, supporting a pro-fibrotic effect of Hx CM-EVs. Overall, these observations were consistent with the different protein cargoes detected by proteomic analysis under Nx and Hx conditions and the biological pathways identified. The paracrine crosstalk between CM-EVs, Fb, and EC in different physiological conditions could account for the contribution of CM-EVs to cardiac remodeling after an ischemic insult.