Fascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathway

Abstract Background Adipose tissue is a widely used autologous soft tissue filler in plastic surgery, particularly for volumetric restoration in cases of soft tissue deficiency. However, effectively controlling the retention rate of transplanted fat remains a major challenge. Therefore, this study a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Guo Chen, Jie Long, Yuge Zhang, Xuhua Zhou, Botao Gao, Zijin Qin, Yuhan Zhu, Binyu Song, Ziwei Cui, Zhangzi liu, Man Xu, Zhou Yu, Baoqiang Song, Ziang Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:Stem Cell Research & Therapy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-025-04204-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849766873312264192
author Guo Chen
Jie Long
Yuge Zhang
Xuhua Zhou
Botao Gao
Zijin Qin
Yuhan Zhu
Binyu Song
Ziwei Cui
Zhangzi liu
Man Xu
Zhou Yu
Baoqiang Song
Ziang Zhang
author_facet Guo Chen
Jie Long
Yuge Zhang
Xuhua Zhou
Botao Gao
Zijin Qin
Yuhan Zhu
Binyu Song
Ziwei Cui
Zhangzi liu
Man Xu
Zhou Yu
Baoqiang Song
Ziang Zhang
author_sort Guo Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Adipose tissue is a widely used autologous soft tissue filler in plastic surgery, particularly for volumetric restoration in cases of soft tissue deficiency. However, effectively controlling the retention rate of transplanted fat remains a major challenge. Therefore, this study aims to explore strategies to enhance fat graft retention. We isolated fascia-derived stem cells (FDSCs) from human superficial fascia and compared their gene expression profiles with those of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). Through bioinformatics analysis and functional experiments, we identified significant differences in the angiogenic potential of the two cell types. Based on sequencing results, we further investigated the roles of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1). This study highlights the critical potential of FDSCs in improving fat graft retention and promoting angiogenesis, offering new strategies for enhancing graft survival and optimizing tissue regeneration therapies. Methods We isolated fascia-derived stem cells (FDSCs) from human superficial fascia and compared them with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). RNA sequencing was performed to analyze gene expression profiles, followed by bioinformatics analysis to identify differences in angiogenic potential. Functional experiments were conducted to investigate the roles of HIF-1α and HMOX1 in angiogenesis. Results RNA sequencing revealed significant gene expression differences related to angiogenesis in FDSCs. The expression levels of HMOX1, HIF-1α, and VEGFa were significantly higher in FDSCs than in ADSCs, and HMOX1 positively regulated the expression of HIF-1α and VEGFa. In vitro experiments demonstrated that FDSCs promoted angiogenesis more effectively than ADSCs. In vivo co-transplantation experiments further confirmed that FDSCs improved fat graft retention and vascularization. Conclusions We demonstrated that FDSCs can more effectively promote vascularization both in vitro and in vivo, and significantly improve graft retention, indicating their broad potential for future applications in tissue repair and regeneration.
format Article
id doaj-art-29cc3669aa064d66b55ce56487e3cc35
institution DOAJ
issn 1757-6512
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Stem Cell Research & Therapy
spelling doaj-art-29cc3669aa064d66b55ce56487e3cc352025-08-20T03:04:26ZengBMCStem Cell Research & Therapy1757-65122025-02-0116112110.1186/s13287-025-04204-wFascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathwayGuo Chen0Jie Long1Yuge Zhang2Xuhua Zhou3Botao Gao4Zijin Qin5Yuhan Zhu6Binyu Song7Ziwei Cui8Zhangzi liu9Man Xu10Zhou Yu11Baoqiang Song12Ziang Zhang13Department of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityDepartment of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical UniversityAbstract Background Adipose tissue is a widely used autologous soft tissue filler in plastic surgery, particularly for volumetric restoration in cases of soft tissue deficiency. However, effectively controlling the retention rate of transplanted fat remains a major challenge. Therefore, this study aims to explore strategies to enhance fat graft retention. We isolated fascia-derived stem cells (FDSCs) from human superficial fascia and compared their gene expression profiles with those of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). Through bioinformatics analysis and functional experiments, we identified significant differences in the angiogenic potential of the two cell types. Based on sequencing results, we further investigated the roles of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1). This study highlights the critical potential of FDSCs in improving fat graft retention and promoting angiogenesis, offering new strategies for enhancing graft survival and optimizing tissue regeneration therapies. Methods We isolated fascia-derived stem cells (FDSCs) from human superficial fascia and compared them with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). RNA sequencing was performed to analyze gene expression profiles, followed by bioinformatics analysis to identify differences in angiogenic potential. Functional experiments were conducted to investigate the roles of HIF-1α and HMOX1 in angiogenesis. Results RNA sequencing revealed significant gene expression differences related to angiogenesis in FDSCs. The expression levels of HMOX1, HIF-1α, and VEGFa were significantly higher in FDSCs than in ADSCs, and HMOX1 positively regulated the expression of HIF-1α and VEGFa. In vitro experiments demonstrated that FDSCs promoted angiogenesis more effectively than ADSCs. In vivo co-transplantation experiments further confirmed that FDSCs improved fat graft retention and vascularization. Conclusions We demonstrated that FDSCs can more effectively promote vascularization both in vitro and in vivo, and significantly improve graft retention, indicating their broad potential for future applications in tissue repair and regeneration.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-025-04204-wSuperficial FasciaStem cellsVascularizationGraft RetentionHMOX1HIF-α
spellingShingle Guo Chen
Jie Long
Yuge Zhang
Xuhua Zhou
Botao Gao
Zijin Qin
Yuhan Zhu
Binyu Song
Ziwei Cui
Zhangzi liu
Man Xu
Zhou Yu
Baoqiang Song
Ziang Zhang
Fascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathway
Stem Cell Research & Therapy
Superficial Fascia
Stem cells
Vascularization
Graft Retention
HMOX1
HIF-α
title Fascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathway
title_full Fascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathway
title_fullStr Fascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathway
title_full_unstemmed Fascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathway
title_short Fascia-derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the HMOX1-HIF-1α pathway
title_sort fascia derived stem cells enhance fat graft retention by promoting vascularization through the hmox1 hif 1α pathway
topic Superficial Fascia
Stem cells
Vascularization
Graft Retention
HMOX1
HIF-α
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-025-04204-w
work_keys_str_mv AT guochen fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT jielong fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT yugezhang fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT xuhuazhou fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT botaogao fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT zijinqin fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT yuhanzhu fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT binyusong fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT ziweicui fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT zhangziliu fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT manxu fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT zhouyu fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT baoqiangsong fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway
AT ziangzhang fasciaderivedstemcellsenhancefatgraftretentionbypromotingvascularizationthroughthehmox1hif1apathway