Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis: Regenerative Treatment by a Stem Cell Containing Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP)-An In Vivo Animal Trial

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2021-01, Vol.22 (1), p.443
• Main Authors: Köhnke, Robert, Ahlers, Marcus Oliver, Birkelbach, Moritz Alexander, Ewald, Florian, Krueger, Michael, Fiedler, Imke, Busse, Björn, Heiland, Max, Vollkommer, Tobias, Gosau, Martin, Smeets, Ralf, Rutkowski, Rico
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cartilage, Articular - metabolism; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Female; Hyaluronic Acid - metabolism; Injections, Intra-Articular - methods; Male; Mesenchymal Stem Cells - cytology; Mesenchymal Stem Cells - metabolism; osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis - metabolism; Osteoarthritis - pathology; Rabbits; Regeneration - physiology; regenerative medicine; regenerative therapy; stem cell therapy; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - metabolism; temporomandibular joint; Temporomandibular Joint - metabolism; Temporomandibular Joint - pathology; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - metabolism; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - pathology; TMJD
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010443

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) is a chronic degenerative disease that is often characterized by progressive impairment of the temporomandibular functional unit. The aim of this randomized controlled animal trial was a comparative analysis regarding the chondroregenerative potency of intra-articular stem/stromal cell therapy. Four weeks after combined mechanical and biochemical osteoarthritis induction in 28 rabbits, therapy was initiated by a single intra-articular injection, randomized into the following groups: Group 1: AB Serum (ABS); Group 2: Hyaluronic acid (HA); Group 3: Mesenchymal stromal cells (STx.); Group 4: Mesenchymal stromal cells in hyaluronic acid (HA + STx.). After another 4 weeks, the animals were euthanized, followed by histological examination of the removed joints. The histological analysis showed a significant increase in cartilage thickness in the stromal cell treated groups (HA + STx. vs. ABS, = 0.028; HA + ST.x vs. HA, = 0.042; STx. vs. ABS, = 0.036). Scanning electron microscopy detected a similar heterogeneity of mineralization and tissue porosity in the subchondral zone in all groups. The single intra-articular injection of a stem cell containing, GMP-compliant advanced therapy medicinal product for the treatment of iatrogen induced osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint shows a chondroregenerative effect.