Cell microencapsulation holds significant promise as a strategy for cellular
therapies; however, inadequate survival and functionality of the enclosed cells limit its application in
hemophilia treatment. Here, we evaluated the use of
alginate-based
microcapsules to enhance the viability and transgene secretion of human cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells in three-dimensional cultures. Given the positive effects of extracellular matrix molecules on mesenchymal stem cell growth, we tested whether
fibrinogen-supplemented
alginate microcapsules can improve the efficiency of encapsulated
factor IX-engineered mesenchymal stem cells as a treatment of
hemophilia B. We found that
fibrinogen-supplemented
alginate microcapsules (a) significantly enhanced the viability and proliferation of
factor IX-engineered mesenchymal stem cells and (b) increased
factor IX secretion by mesenchymal stem cells compared to mesenchymal stem cells in nonsupplemented
microcapsules. Moreover, we observed the osteogenic, but not chondrogenic or adipogenic, differentiation capability of
factor IX-engineered cord blood mesenchymal stem cells and their efficient
factor IX secretion while encapsulated in
fibrinogen-supplemented
alginate microcapsules. Thus, the use of engineered mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in
fibrinogen-modified
microcapsules may have potential application in the treatment of
hemophilia or other
protein deficiency diseases.