Histological and biomechanical properties of regenerated articular cartilage using chondrogenic bone marrow stromal cells with a PLGA scaffold in vivo

• Published in: Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B 2008-12, Vol.87A (4), p.850-861
• Main Authors: Han, Seung Hwan, Kim, Yun Hee, Park, Min Sung, Kim, In Ae, Shin, Jung Woog, Yang, Woo Ick, Jee, Kyoung Soo, Park, Ki Dong, Ryu, Gyu Ha, Lee, Jin Woo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biomechanical Phenomena; Bone Marrow Cells - chemistry; Bone Marrow Cells - cytology; Bone Marrow Cells - metabolism; bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells; cartilage; cartilage tissue engineering; Cartilage, Articular - cytology; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Cartilage, Articular - physiology; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Chondrogenesis - physiology; Collagen - metabolism; Glycosaminoglycans - metabolism; Guided Tissue Regeneration - methods; Humans; Knee Joint - pathology; Knee Joint - physiology; Lactic Acid - chemistry; Male; Materials Testing; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation - methods; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - chemistry; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - cytology; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - metabolism; poly lactic-co-glycolic acid; Polyglycolic Acid - chemistry; Rabbits; Stromal Cells - chemistry; Stromal Cells - cytology; Stromal Cells - metabolism; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry
• ISSN: 1549-3296; 1552-4965; 1552-4981
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.31828

The properties of regenerated cartilage using bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and poly lactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffold composites pretreated with TGF‐β3 were investigated and compared to the non‐TGF‐β3 treated MSCs/PLGA composites in a rabbit model. We prepared MSCs/PLGA scaffold composites and pretreated it with TGF‐β3 for 3 weeks prior to transplantation. Then, composites were transplanted to the osteochondral defect in the rabbit knee. After 12 weeks of transplantation, 10 of the 12 rabbits in which TGF‐β3 pretreated MSCs/PLGA scaffold composites were transplanted showed cartilaginous regeneration. In gross morphology, regenerated cartilage showed smooth, flush, and transparent features. In indentation test, this had about 80% of Young's modulus of normal articular cartilage. Histological examination demonstrated hyaline like cartilage structures with glycosaminoglycan and type II collagen expression. Histological scores were not statistically different to the normal articular cartilage. These results showed improvement of cartilage regeneration compared to the non‐TGF‐β3 pretreated MSCs/PLGA scaffold composite transplanted group. Thus, we have successfully regenerated improved hyaline‐like cartilage and determined the feasibility of treating damaged articular cartilage using MSCs/PLGA scaffold composite pretreated with TGF‐β3. Also, we suggest this treatment modality as another concept of cartilage tissue engineering. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2008