Two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx MXene promotes electrophysiological maturation of neural circuits

Yige Li; Yangnan Hu; Hao Wei; Wei Cao; Yanru Qi; Shan Zhou; Panpan Zhang; Huawei Li; Geng-Lin Li; Renjie Chai

doi:10.1186/s12951-022-01590-8

Two-dimensional Ti₃C₂T_x MXene promotes electrophysiological maturation of neural circuits

J Nanobiotechnology. 2022 Aug 31;20(1):398. doi: 10.1186/s12951-022-01590-8.

Authors

Yige Li^#¹, Yangnan Hu^#¹, Hao Wei^#², Wei Cao^#³, Yanru Qi¹, Shan Zhou¹, Panpan Zhang¹, Huawei Li^{4

5

6

7

8}, Geng-Lin Li^{9

10

11}, Renjie Chai^{12

13

14

15

16

17}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
² Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.
³ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230069, China.
⁴ Department of Otorhinolaryngology and ENT Institute, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. [email protected].
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. [email protected].
⁶ Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
⁷ NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. [email protected].
⁸ Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. [email protected].
⁹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology and ENT Institute, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. [email protected].
¹⁰ State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. [email protected].
¹¹ NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. [email protected].
¹² State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. [email protected].
¹³ Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China. [email protected].
¹⁴ Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China. [email protected].
¹⁵ Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China. [email protected].
¹⁶ Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100086, China. [email protected].
¹⁷ Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China. [email protected].

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: The ideal neural interface or scaffold for stem cell therapy shall have good biocompatibility promoting survival, maturation and integration of neural stem cells (NSCs) in targeted brain regions. The unique electrical, hydrophilic and surface-modifiable properties of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene make it an attractive substrate, but little is known about how it interacts with NSCs during development and maturation.

Results: In this study, we cultured NSCs on Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and examined its effects on morphological and electrophysiological properties of NSC-derived neurons. With a combination of immunostaining and patch-clamp recording, we found that Ti₃C₂T_x MXene promotes NSCs differentiation and neurite growth, increases voltage-gated current of Ca²⁺ but not Na⁺ or K⁺ in matured neurons, boosts their spiking without changing their passive membrane properties, and enhances synaptic transmission between them.

Conclusions: These results expand our understanding of interaction between Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and NSCs and provide a critical line of evidence for using Ti₃C₂T_x MXene in neural interface or scaffold in stem cell therapy.

Keywords: Neural spiking; Neural stem cells; Neuronal development and maturation; Patch-clamp recording; Synaptic transmission; Ti3C2Tx MXene.

MeSH terms

Cell Differentiation
Neural Stem Cells*
Neurons
Titanium* / metabolism
Titanium* / pharmacology

Substances

Titanium

Abstract

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding