A Biomaterial Strategy for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

摘要

Surgical placement of a tubular SIS-ECM scaffold following mucosectomy has the potential to facilitate constructive remodeling of colonic mucosa in a canine model. Whether such a strategy (i.e., placement of an ECM scaffold over a long-segment mucosectomy) would similarly promote colonic mucosal healing in the presence of an inflammatory environment for treatment of ulcerative colitis remains unknown. However, long-segment mucosectomy is currently not likely to be readily translatable as a clinical strategy. A preferred approach to UC treatment would avoid mucosectomy but still mitigate colitis by diminishing inflammation and remodeling of colonic mucosa. Preliminary studies in a chemically induced rodent model of UC suggest topical (i.e., enema) delivery of an ECM hydrogel may be a potentially viable therapeutic strategy for treating patients with UC.