Human Amniotic membrane modulates collagen production and deposition in vitro

Pathological fibrosis, an excessive accumulation of collagen, compromises tissue architecture, impedes its function and represents a medical complication. Properties of the amniotic membrane have demonstrated potential to regulate fibrotic processes. RNA sequencing analysis evaluated the effects of dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (DHACM) on fibrotic events using in vitro macromolecular crowding to mimic a physiologically relevant microenvironment. Functional enrichment with Reactome pathway analysis indicated that the function of a subset of these dysregulated genes was associated with the composition and function of the extracellular matrix. Further use of macromolecular crowding in vitro was used to evaluate the effects of DHACM and a lyophilized human amnion/chorion membrane (LHACM) on type 1 collagen production and deposition under profibrotic conditions (addition of TGFβ1). In the continued presence of TGFβ1, LHACM and DHACM regulated the intracellular production and extracellular deposition of type 1 collagen. In addition, results suggest that the effect on collagen deposition could in part be modulated through the regulation of proteins responsible for the extracellular post-translational modifications of collagen. These observations may support the use of DHACM and LHACM in the regulation collagen production/deposition in profibrotic environments.