Effect of intra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells in cartilage repair in experimental animals

Using iron sucrose-labeled adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in 1.5 and 3 T MRI tracking: An in vitro study

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate iron sucrose labeling in mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) tracking.

Background

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy is a promising strategy for promoting musculoskeletal repair.

Methods

Iron sucrose-labeled adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (IS-labeled ASCs) were tracked using T2-and T2∗-weighted sequences by 1.5 and 3 T MRI in an in vitro model. ASCs were isolated from cosmetic liposuction specimens. ASCs from passages 4-6 were labeled with iron sucrose (Venofer®) which was added to the cell culture medium. Pre- and post-iron sucrose labeled ASCs were evaluated for cell surface immunophenotypes. Cell viability as well as chondrogenic, adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of IS-labeled-ASCs were evaluated. The IS-labeled ASCs were titrated into microtubes at 1 × 10³, 1 × 10⁴, 1 × 10⁵ and 1 × 10⁶ cells/ml/microtube and their intensities were determined by 1.5 and 3T MRI using T2-and T2∗-weighted sequences.

Results

The expression markers of IS-labeled ASCs from flow cytometry were equivalent to control. The mean cell viability was 97.73 ± 2.06%. Cell differentiations of IS-labeled ASCs were confirmed in each lineage using specific staining solutions. T2∗-weighted sequences (T2∗) were able to detect iron sucrose labeled-ASCs at a minimum of 1 × 10⁵ cells/ml/microtube using 1.5 and 3T MRI, but the detection sensitivity was lower with T2-weighted sequences (T2).

Conclusions

Iron sucrose incubation is a safe alternative method for ASCs labeling and tracking using MRI following treatment. Clinicians and researchers should be able to visualize the location of ASCs engraftment without secondary surgical investigation involving tissue sampling.

A Review of Commercially Available Point-of-Care Devices to Concentrate Bone Marrow for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis and Focal Cartilage Lesions

OBJECTIVE

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising cell-based therapy treatment option for several orthopedic indications. Because culture expansion of MSC is time and cost intensive, a bedside concentration of bone marrow (BM) aspirate is used as an alternative. Many commercial systems are available but the available literature and knowledge regarding these systems is limited. We compared different point-of-care devices that concentrate BM (BMC) by focusing on technical features and quality parameters to help surgeons make informed decisions while selecting the appropriate device.

METHODS

We compared published data on the BMC devices of Arteriocyte, Arthrex, Celling Biosciences, EmCyte, Exactech, ISTO Tech, Harvest Tech/Terumo BCT, and Zimmer/BIOMET regarding technical features (centrifugation speed/time, input/output volume, kit components, type of aspiration syringes, filter usage) and quality parameters of their final BMC product (hematocrit, concentration of platelets and total nucleated cells, concentration of MSC and connective tissue progenitor cells).

RESULTS

The systems differ significantly in their technical features and centrifugation parameters. Only the fully automated systems use universal kits, which allow processing different volumes of BM. Only the Arthrex system allows selection of final hematocrit. There was no standardized reporting method to describe biologic potency.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the data obtained in this review, recommending a single device is not possible because the reported data could not be compared between devices. A standardized reporting method is needed for valid comparisons. Furthermore, clinical outcomes are required to establish the true efficacy of these systems. We are conducting additional studies for more careful comparison among the devices.

Equine mesenchymal stem cells derived from endometrial or adipose tissue share significant biological properties, but have distinctive pattern of surface markers and migration

Adult stromal mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been postulated as responsible for cell renewal in highly and continuously regenerative tissues such as the endometrium. MSCs have been identified in the endometrium of many species including humans, rodents, pets and some farm animals, but not in horses. The objective of this work was to isolate such cells from the endometrium of mares and to compare their main biological attributes with horse adipose-derived MSCs. Here we successfully isolated and characterized endometrial MSCs (eMSCs) from mares. Said cells showed fibroblast-like morphology, grew on plastic, had doubling population times of 46.4 ± 3.38 h, underwent tri-lineage (osteo, chondro and adipogenic) differentiation after appropriate inductions, migrated toward the attraction of fetal calf serum and displayed a pattern of surface markers commonly accepted for horse MSCs. All these are properties of MSCs. Some of these attributes were shared with equine adipose-derived MSCs, but the migration pattern of eMSC at 12 and 24 h after stimulation was reduced in comparison with adipose MSCs. Also, expression of CD44, CD90 and MHCI surface markers were dramatically down-regulated in eMSCs. In conclusion, equine-derived endometrial MSC share biological attributes with adipose MSC of this species, but displayed a different surface marker phenotype and an impaired migration ability. Conceivably, this phenotype is distinctive for MSC of this origin.