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Schofield MM, Rzepski AT, Richardson-Solorzano S, Hammerstedt J, Shah S, Mirack CE, Herrick M, Parreno J. Targeting F-actin stress fibers to suppress the dedifferentiated phenotype in chondrocytes. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151424. [PMID: 38823166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Actin is a central mediator of the chondrocyte phenotype. Monolayer expansion of articular chondrocytes on tissue culture polystyrene, for cell-based repair therapies, leads to chondrocyte dedifferentiation. During dedifferentiation, chondrocytes spread and filamentous (F-)actin reorganizes from a cortical to a stress fiber arrangement causing a reduction in cartilage matrix expression and an increase in fibroblastic matrix and contractile molecule expression. While the downstream mechanisms regulating chondrocyte molecular expression by alterations in F-actin organization have become elucidated, the critical upstream regulators of F-actin networks in chondrocytes are not completely known. Tropomyosin (TPM) and the RhoGTPases are known regulators of F-actin networks. The main purpose of this study is to elucidate the regulation of passaged chondrocyte F-actin stress fiber networks and cell phenotype by the specific TPM, TPM3.1, and the RhoGTPase, CDC42. Our results demonstrated that TPM3.1 associates with cortical F-actin and stress fiber F-actin in primary and passaged chondrocytes, respectively. In passaged cells, we found that pharmacological TPM3.1 inhibition or siRNA knockdown causes F-actin reorganization from stress fibers back to cortical F-actin and causes an increase in G/F-actin. CDC42 inhibition also causes formation of cortical F-actin. However, pharmacological CDC42 inhibition, but not TPM3.1 inhibition, leads to the re-association of TPM3.1 with cortical F-actin. Both TPM3.1 and CDC42 inhibition, as well as TPM3.1 knockdown, reduces nuclear localization of myocardin related transcription factor, which suppresses dedifferentiated molecule expression. We confirmed that TPM3.1 or CDC42 inhibition partially redifferentiates passaged cells by reducing fibroblast matrix and contractile expression, and increasing chondrogenic SOX9 expression. A further understanding on the regulation of F-actin in passaged cells may lead into new insights to stimulate cartilage matrix expression in cells for regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sohan Shah
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, USA
| | - Chloe E Mirack
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, USA
| | - Marin Herrick
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, USA
| | - Justin Parreno
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, USA.
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2
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Davis EER, Manzoni TJ, Bianchi VJ, Weber JF, Wu PH, Regmi SC, Waldman SD, Schmidt TA, Su AW, Kandel RA, Parreno J. Passaged Articular Chondrocytes From the Superficial Zone and Deep Zone Can Regain Zone-Specific Properties After Redifferentiation. Am J Sports Med 2024; 52:1075-1087. [PMID: 38419462 DOI: 10.1177/03635465241230031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bioengineered cartilage is a developing therapeutic to repair cartilage defects. The matrix must be rich in collagen type II and aggrecan and mechanically competent, withstanding compressive and shearing loads. Biomechanical properties in native articular cartilage depend on the zonal architecture consisting of 3 zones: superficial, middle, and deep. The superficial zone chondrocytes produce lubricating proteoglycan-4, whereas the deep zone chondrocytes produce collagen type X, which allows for integration into the subchondral bone. Zonal and chondrogenic expression is lost after cell number expansion. Current cell-based therapies have limited capacity to regenerate the zonal structure of native cartilage. HYPOTHESIS Both passaged superficial and deep zone chondrocytes at high density can form bioengineered cartilage that is rich in collagen type II and aggrecan; however, only passaged superficial zone-derived chondrocytes will express superficial zone-specific proteoglycan-4, and only passaged deep zone-derived chondrocytes will express deep zone-specific collagen type X. STUDY DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. METHODS Superficial and deep zone chondrocytes were isolated from bovine joints, and zonal subpopulations were separately expanded in 2-dimensional culture. At passage 2, superficial and deep zone chondrocytes were seeded, separately, in scaffold-free 3-dimensional culture within agarose wells and cultured in redifferentiation media. RESULTS Monolayer expansion resulted in loss of expression for proteoglycan-4 and collagen type X in passaged superficial and deep zone chondrocytes, respectively. By passage 2, superficial and deep zone chondrocytes had similar expression for dedifferentiated molecules collagen type I and tenascin C. Redifferentiation of both superficial and deep zone chondrocytes led to the expression of collagen type II and aggrecan in both passaged chondrocyte populations. However, only redifferentiated deep zone chondrocytes expressed collagen type X, and only redifferentiated superficial zone chondrocytes expressed and secreted proteoglycan-4. Additionally, redifferentiated deep zone chondrocytes produced a thicker and more robust tissue compared with superficial zone chondrocytes. CONCLUSION The recapitulation of the primary phenotype from passaged zonal chondrocytes introduces a novel method of functional bioengineering of cartilage that resembles the zone-specific biological properties of native cartilage. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The recapitulation of the primary phenotype in zonal chondrocytes could be a possible method to tailor bioengineered cartilage to have zone-specific expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E R Davis
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas J Manzoni
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Vanessa J Bianchi
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joanna F Weber
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Po Han Wu
- Department of Human Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Suresh C Regmi
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Stephen D Waldman
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tannin A Schmidt
- Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alvin W Su
- Nemours Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nemours Children's Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
| | - Rita A Kandel
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin Parreno
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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3
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Schofield MM, Rzepski A, Hammerstedt J, Shah S, Mirack C, Parreno J. Targeting F-actin stress fibers to suppress the dedifferentiated phenotype in chondrocytes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.08.570865. [PMID: 38106134 PMCID: PMC10723437 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.08.570865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Actin is a central mediator of the chondrocyte phenotype. Monolayer expansion of articular chondrocytes on tissue culture polystyrene, for cell-based repair therapies, leads to chondrocyte dedifferentiation. During dedifferentiation, chondrocytes spread and filamentous (F-)actin reorganizes from a cortical to a stress fiber arrangement causing a reduction in cartilage matrix expression and an increase in fibroblastic matrix and contractile molecule expression. While the downstream mechanisms regulating chondrocyte molecular expression by alterations in F-actin organization have become elucidated, the critical upstream regulators of F-actin networks in chondrocytes are not completely known. Tropomyosin (TPM) and the RhoGTPases are known regulators of F-actin networks. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the regulation of passaged chondrocyte F-actin stress fiber networks and cell phenotype by the specific TPM, TPM3.1, and the RhoGTPase, CDC42. Our results demonstrated that TPM3.1 associates with cortical F-actin and stress fiber F-actin in primary and passaged chondrocytes, respectively. In passaged cells, we found that TPM3.1 inhibition causes F-actin reorganization from stress fibers back to cortical F-actin and also causes an increase in G/F-actin. CDC42 inhibition also causes formation of cortical F-actin. However, CDC42 inhibition, but not TPM3.1 inhibition, leads to the re-association of TPM3.1 with cortical F-actin. Both TPM3.1 and CDC42 inhibition reduces nuclear localization of myocardin related transcription factor, which is known to suppress dedifferentiated molecule expression. We confirmed that TPM3.1 or CDC42 inhibition partially redifferentiates passaged cells by reducing fibroblast matrix and contractile expression, and increasing chondrogenic SOX9 expression. A further understanding on the regulation of F-actin in passaged cells may lead into new insights to stimulate cartilage matrix expression in cells for regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alissa Rzepski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware
| | | | - Sohan Shah
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware
| | - Chloe Mirack
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware
| | - Justin Parreno
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware
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4
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Inguito KL, Schofield MM, Faghri AD, Bloom ET, Heino M, West VC, Ebron KMM, Elliott DM, Parreno J. Stress deprivation of tendon explants or Tpm3.1 inhibition in tendon cells reduces F-actin to promote a tendinosis-like phenotype. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar141. [PMID: 36129771 PMCID: PMC9727789 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-02-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Actin is a central mediator between mechanical force and cellular phenotype. In tendons, it is speculated that mechanical stress deprivation regulates gene expression by reducing filamentous (F)-actin. However, the mechanisms regulating tenocyte F-actin remain unclear. Tropomyosins (Tpms) are master regulators of F-actin. There are more than 40 Tpm isoforms, each having the unique capability to stabilize F-actin subpopulations. We investigated F-actin polymerization in stress-deprived tendons and tested the hypothesis that stress fiber-associated Tpm(s) stabilize F-actin to regulate cellular phenotype. Stress deprivation of mouse tail tendon down-regulated tenogenic and up-regulated protease (matrix metalloproteinase-3) mRNA levels. Concomitant with mRNA modulation were increases in G/F-actin, confirming reduced F-actin by tendon stress deprivation. To investigate the molecular regulation of F-actin, we identified that tail, Achilles, and plantaris tendons express three isoforms in common: Tpm1.6, 3.1, and 4.2. Tpm3.1 associates with F-actin in native and primary tenocytes. Tpm3.1 inhibition reduces F-actin, leading to decreases in tenogenic expression, increases in chondrogenic expression, and enhancement of protease expression in mouse and human tenocytes. These expression changes by Tpm3.1 inhibition are consistent with tendinosis progression. A further understanding of F-actin regulation in musculoskeletal cells could lead to new therapeutic interventions to prevent alterations in cellular phenotype during disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kameron L. Inguito
- Departments of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | - Mandy M. Schofield
- Departments of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | - Arya D. Faghri
- Departments of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | - Ellen T. Bloom
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | - Marissa Heino
- Departments of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716,Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | - Valerie C. West
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | | | - Dawn M. Elliott
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
| | - Justin Parreno
- Departments of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716,Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716,*Address correspondence to: Justin Parreno ()
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5
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Foster NC, Hall NM, El Haj AJ. Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Cartilage Model Platforms for Drug Evaluation and High-Throughput Screening Assays. TISSUE ENGINEERING. PART B, REVIEWS 2022; 28:421-436. [PMID: 34010074 PMCID: PMC7612674 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2020.0354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a severely painful and debilitating disease of the joint, which brings about degradation of the articular cartilage and currently has few therapeutic solutions. Two-dimensional (2D) high-throughput screening (HTS) assays have been widely used to identify candidate drugs with therapeutic potential for the treatment of OA. A number of small molecules which improve the chondrogenic differentiation of progenitor cells for tissue engineering applications have also been discovered in this way. However, due to the failure of these models to accurately represent the native joint environment, the efficacy of these drugs has been limited in vivo. Screening systems utilizing three-dimensional (3D) models, which more closely reflect the tissue and its complex cell and molecular interactions, have also been described. However, the vast majority of these systems fail to recapitulate the complex, zonal structure of articular cartilage and its unique cell population. This review summarizes current 2D HTS techniques and addresses the question of how to use existing 3D models of tissue-engineered cartilage to create 3D drug screening platforms with improved outcomes. Impact statement Currently, the use of two-dimensional (2D) screening platforms in drug discovery is common practice. However, these systems often fail to predict efficacy in vivo, as they do not accurately represent the complexity of the native three-dimensional (3D) environment. This article describes existing 2D and 3D high-throughput systems used to identify small molecules for osteoarthritis treatment or in vitro chondrogenic differentiation, and suggests ways to improve the efficacy of these systems based on the most recent research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole M Hall
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia J El Haj
- Healthcare Technologies Institute, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TH
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6
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Shen H, He Y, Wang N, Fritch MR, Li X, Lin H, Tuan RS. Enhancing the potential of aged human articular chondrocytes for high-quality cartilage regeneration. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21410. [PMID: 33617078 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002386r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a regenerative procedure used to treat focal articular cartilage defects in knee joints. However, age has been considered as a limiting factor and ACI is not recommended for patients older than 40-50 years of age. One reason for this may be due to the reduced capacity of aged chondrocytes in generating new cartilage. Currently, the underlying mechanism contributing to aging-associated functional decline in chondrocytes is not clear and no proven approach exists to reverse chondrocyte aging. Given that chondrocytes in healthy hyaline cartilage typically display a spherical shape, believed to be essential for chondrocyte phenotype stability, we hypothesize that maintaining aged chondrocytes in a suspension culture that forces the cells to adopt a round morphology may help to "rejuvenate" them to a younger state, thus, leading to enhanced cartilage regeneration. Chondrocytes isolated from aged donors displayed reduced proliferation potential and impaired capacity in generating hyaline cartilage, compared to cells isolated from young donors, indicated by increased hypertrophy and cellular senescence. To test our hypothesis, the "old" chondrocytes were seeded as a suspension onto an agarose-based substratum, where they maintained a round morphology. After the 3-day suspension culture, aged chondrocytes displayed enhanced replicative capacity, compared to those grown adherent to tissue culture plastic. Moreover, chondrocytes subjected to suspension culture formed new cartilage in vitro with higher quality and quantity, with enhanced cartilage matrix deposition, concomitant with lower levels of hypertrophy and cellular senescence markers. Mechanistic analysis suggested the involvement of the RhoA and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the "rejuvenation" process. In summary, our study presents a robust and straightforward method to enhance the function of aged human chondrocytes, which can be conveniently used to generate a large number of high-quality chondrocytes for ACI application in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Shen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yuchen He
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Madalyn R Fritch
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hang Lin
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rocky S Tuan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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7
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Grigull NP, Redeker JI, Schmitt B, Saller MM, Schönitzer V, Mayer-Wagner S. Chondrogenic Potential of Pellet Culture Compared to High-Density Culture on a Bacterial Cellulose Hydrogel. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082785. [PMID: 32316353 PMCID: PMC7215943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-based approaches of cartilage lesions use different culture systems to obtain optimal cell quality. Pellet cultures with high cellular density (HD) are the gold standard to keep chondrocytes in a differentiated stage. Bacterial cellulose (BC) hydrogel is discussed to prevent cellular aging and dedifferentiation. The hypothesis of this study was that HD culture on BC hydrogel (HD hydrogel) might reach the chondrogenic potential of pellet culture (pellet). Human articular osteoarthritic (OA) and non-osteoarthritic (non-OA) chondrocytes were cultured for seven days within pellets and compared to HD hydrogel and HD polystyrene. Gene expression analysis and histological assessment were performed. We observed no significant change of COL2A1 expression by the culture system (pellet, HD hydrogel and HD polystyrene) but a significant change of COL2A1/COL1A1-ratio, with the highest ratio in pellets. Chondrocytes on HD hydrogel showed an elevated expression of MMP13 and on polystyrene an increased expression of COL1A1 and MMP13. The patterns of gene expression changes observed in OA and non-OA chondrocytes in reaction to the different culture systems were similar in those two cell groups. Pellet cultures moreover formed a histomorphologically superior neocartilage. Concluding, human chondrocytes kept the potential to express COL2A1 in all HD culture systems. However, pellets excelled in a higher COL2A1/COL1A1-ratio, a higher extracellular matrix deposit and in not developing degeneration and dedifferentiation markers. This underlines the superiority of pellet culture in maintaining the chondrogenic potential of human chondrocytes in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nele Pascale Grigull
- Department of Orthopaedics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany; (N.P.G.); (J.I.R.); (B.S.)
| | - Julia Isabelle Redeker
- Department of Orthopaedics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany; (N.P.G.); (J.I.R.); (B.S.)
| | - Bärbel Schmitt
- Department of Orthopaedics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany; (N.P.G.); (J.I.R.); (B.S.)
| | - Maximilian Michael Saller
- Experimental Surgery and Regenerative Medicine (ExperiMed), Department of General, Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Fraunhoferstraße 20, 82152 Martinsried, Germany; (M.M.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Veronika Schönitzer
- Experimental Surgery and Regenerative Medicine (ExperiMed), Department of General, Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Fraunhoferstraße 20, 82152 Martinsried, Germany; (M.M.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Susanne Mayer-Wagner
- Department of Orthopaedics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany; (N.P.G.); (J.I.R.); (B.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-89-44007-4857
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8
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Levinson C, Lee M, Applegate LA, Zenobi-Wong M. An injectable heparin-conjugated hyaluronan scaffold for local delivery of transforming growth factor β1 promotes successful chondrogenesis. Acta Biomater 2019; 99:168-180. [PMID: 31536840 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cartilage lacks basic repair mechanisms and thus surgical interventions are necessary to treat lesions. Minimally-invasive arthroscopic procedures require the development of injectable biomaterials to support chondrogenesis of implanted cells. However, most cartilage tissue engineering approaches rely on pre-culture of scaffolds in media containing growth factors (GFs) such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, which are crucial for cartilage formation and homeostasis. GFs media-supplementation is incompatible with injectable approaches and has led to a knowledge gap about optimal dose of GFs and release profiles needed to achieve chondrogenesis. This study aims to determine the optimal loading and release kinetics of TGF-β1 bound to an engineered GAG hydrogel to promote optimal cartilaginous matrix production in absence of TGF-β1 media-supplementation. We show that heparin, a GAG known to bind a wide range of GFs, covalently conjugated to a hyaluronan hydrogel, leads to a sustained release of TGF-β1. Using this heparin-conjugated hyaluronan hydrogel, 0.25 to 50 ng TGF-β1 per scaffold was loaded and cell viability, proliferation and cartilaginous matrix deposition of the encapsulated chondroprogenitor cells were measured. Excellent chondrogenesis was found when 5 ng TGF-β1 per scaffold and higher were used. We also demonstrate the necessity of a sustained release of TGF-β1, as no matrix deposition is observed upon a burst release. In conclusion, our biomaterial loaded with an optimal initial dose of 5 ng/scaffold TGF-β1 is a promising injectable material for cartilage repair, with potentially increased safety due to the low, locally administered GF dose. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Cartilage cell-based products are dependent on exogenous growth factor supplementation in order for proper tissue maturation. However, for a one-step repair of defects without need for expensive tissue maturation, an injectable, growth factor loaded formulation is required. Here we show development of an injectable hyaluronan hydrogel, which achieves a sustained release of TGF-β1 due to covalent conjugation of heparin. These grafts matured into cartilaginous tissue in the absence of growth factor supplementation. Additionally, this system allowed us to screen TGF-β1 concentrations to determine the mimimum amount of growth factor required for chondrogenesis. This study represents a critical step towards development of a minimally-invasive, arthroscopic treatment for cartilage lesions.
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9
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Simvastatin promotes restoration of chondrocyte morphology and phenotype. Arch Biochem Biophys 2019; 665:1-11. [PMID: 30776329 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2019.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In this study we examined whether the action of simvastatin affects re-differentiation of passaged chondrocytes and if so, whether this was mediated via changes in cholesterol or cholesterol intermediates. Bovine articular chondrocytes, of varying passage number, human knee chondrocytes and rat chondrosarcoma chondrocytes were treated with simvastatin and examined for changes in mRNA and protein expression of markers of the chondrocyte phenotype as well as changes in cell shape, proliferation and proteoglycan production. In all three models, while still in monolayer culture, simvastatin treatment alone promoted changes in phenotype and morphology indicative of re-differentiation most prominent being an increase in SOX9 mRNA and protein expression. In passaged bovine chondrocytes, simvastatin stimulated the expression of SOX9, ACAN, BMP2 and inhibited the expression of COL1 and α-smooth muscle actin. Co-treatment of chondrocytes with simvastatin plus exogenous cholesterol-conditions that had previously reversed the inhibition on CD44 shedding, did not alter the effects of simvastatin on re-differentiation. However, the co-treatment of chondrocytes with simvastatin together with other pathway intermediates, mevalonate, geranylgeranylpyrophosphate and to a lesser extent, farnesylpyrophosphate, blocked the pro-differentiation effects of simvastatin. Treatment with simvastatin stimulated expression of SOX9 and COL2a and enhanced SOX9 protein in human OA chondrocytes. The co-treatment of OA chondrocytes with mevalonate or geranylgeranylpyrophosphate, but not cholesterol, blocked the simvastatin effects. These results lead us to conclude that the blocking of critical protein prenylation events is required for the positive effects of simvastatin on the re-differentiation of chondrocytes.
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10
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Costa E, González-García C, Gómez Ribelles JL, Salmerón-Sánchez M. Maintenance of chondrocyte phenotype during expansion on PLLA microtopographies. J Tissue Eng 2018; 9:2041731418789829. [PMID: 30093985 PMCID: PMC6080075 DOI: 10.1177/2041731418789829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Articular chondrocytes are difficult to grow, as they lose their characteristic
phenotype following expansion on standard tissue culture plates. Here, we show
that culturing them on surfaces of poly(L-lactic acid) of well-defined
microtopography allows expansion and maintenance of characteristic chondrogenic
markers. We investigated the dynamics of human chondrocyte dedifferentiation on
the different poly(L-lactic acid) microtopographies by the expression of
collagen type I, collagen type II and aggrecan at different culture times. When
seeded on poly(L-lactic acid), chondrocytes maintained their characteristic
hyaline phenotype up to 7 days, which allowed to expand the initial cell
population approximately six times without cell dedifferentiation. Maintenance
of cell phenotype was afterwards correlated to cell adhesion on the different
substrates. Chondrocytes adhesion occurs via the
α5β1 integrin on
poly(L-lactic acid), suggesting cell–fibronectin interactions. However,
α2β1 integrin is
mainly expressed on the control substrate after 1 day of culture, and the
characteristic chondrocytic markers are lost (collagen type II expression is
overcome by the synthesis of collagen type I). Expanding chondrocytes on
poly(L-lactic acid) might be an effective solution to prevent dedifferentiation
and improving the number of cells needed for autologous chondrocyte
transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Costa
- Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue
Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - José Luis Gómez Ribelles
- Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue
Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in
Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Salmerón-Sánchez
- Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue
Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in
Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Valencia, Spain
- Centre for the Cellular
Microenvironment, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Manuel Salmerón-Sánchez, Centre for the
Cellular Microenvironment, School of Engineering, Rankine Bld, Oakfield Av, G12
8LT, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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