Injectable therapeutic system incorporating neurogenesis-programmed stem cells concomitantly promoting muscle regeneration treats stress urinary incontinence

Nat Commun. 2025 Sep 25;16(1):8404. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-63421-2.

Abstract

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) remains a significant clinical challenge due to the lack of strategies that simultaneously address muscle degeneration, neurogenic atrophy, and vascular deficits. Here, we report an innovative injectable system that combines a thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-COOH/leucine/decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogel with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) pre-programmed by zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/polyethylene glycol 200@magnesium (ZIF-8/PEG200@Mg) nanoparticles. In vitro, programmed ADSCs exhibit enhanced neurogenic differentiation, while the hydrogels support robust myogenic activity and cell viability. In a female rat model of SUI-chosen to reflect the higher prevalence of SUI in women-the composite system leads to a marked improvement in leak point pressure (LPP) and restores urethral sphincter function. Mechanistic analyses reveals upregulation of muscle regeneration (e.g., Myoz1, Smyd1) and neurogenesis/neuromuscular junction stabilization (NMJ) stabilization genes (e.g., Dok7, Musk), highlighting a coordinated multi-lineage regenerative process. This work establishes an integrated regeneration-plus-support injectable strategy, offering a regenerative medicine-based approach that surpasses conventional bulking or sling therapies for SUI.

MeSH terms

  • Acrylic Resins
  • Adipose Tissue / cytology
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Extracellular Matrix / chemistry
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrogels / chemistry
  • Injections
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Neurogenesis* / physiology
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Regeneration* / physiology
  • Stem Cell Transplantation* / methods
  • Stem Cells* / cytology
  • Urinary Incontinence, Stress* / physiopathology
  • Urinary Incontinence, Stress* / therapy

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • poly-N-isopropylacrylamide
  • Acrylic Resins