Differences Between Chondrocytes and Bone Marrow-Derived Chondrogenic Cells

Effects of mesenchymal stem cells versus curcumin on sonic hedgehog signaling in experimental model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) is a fundamental signaling pathway that controls tissue reconstruction, stem cell biology, and differentiation and has a role in gut tissue homeostasis and development. Dysregulation of SHH leads to the development of HCC.

METHODS, AND RESULTS

The present study was conducted to compare the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and curcumin on SHH molecular targets in an experimental model of HCC in rats. One hundred rats were divided equally into the following groups: control group, HCC group, HCC group received MSCs, HCC group received curcumin, and HCC group received MSCs and curcumin. Histopathological examinations were performed, and gene expression of SHH signaling target genes (SHH, PTCH1, SMOH, and GLI1) was assessed by real-time PCR in rat liver tissue. Results showed that SHH target genes were significantly upregulated in HCC-untreated rat groups and in MSC-treated groups, with no significant difference between them. Administration of curcumin with or without combined administration of MSCs led to a significant down-regulation of SHH target genes, with no significant differences between both groups. As regards the histopathological examination of liver tissues, both curcumin and MSCs, either through separate use or their combined use, led to a significant restoration of normal liver pathology.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, SHH signaling is upregulated in the HCC experimental model. MSCs do not inhibit the upregulated SHH target genes in HCC. Curcumin use with or without MSCs administration led to a significant down-regulation of SHH signaling in HCC and a significant restoration of normal liver pathology.

Stem cell therapy combined with core decompression versus core decompression alone in the treatment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Accumulated clinical trials had been focused on stem cell therapy in combination of core decompression (CD) in the treatment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH). Nonetheless, the results were inconclusive. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and retrospective studies to assess whether combined stem cell augmentation with CD improved the outcomes of ANFH compared with CD alone.

METHODS

The current study included 11 RCTs and 7 retrospective studies reporting the clinical outcomes of a total of 916 patients and 1257 hips. 557 and 700 hips received CD and CD plus stem cell therapy, respectively. To compare CD with CD plus stem cell therapy, we examined the clinical evaluating scores, the occurrence of the femoral head, radiologic progression and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA).

RESULTS

Only 10 studies reported significantly greater improvement in hip functions while combining stem cell procedure with CD. The pooled results in subgroup analysis indicated that stem cell group had a lower collapse rate on a mid-term basis (P = 0.001), when combined with mechanical support (P < 0.00001), and with extracted stem cells (P = 0.0002). Likewise, stem cell group had a lower radiographic progression rate at 2- to 5-year follow-up [P = 0.003], when combined with structural grafting (P < 0.00001), and with extracted stem cells (P = 0.004). Stem cell therapy resulted in an overall lower THA conversion rate (P < 0.0001) except that at a follow-up longer than 5 years.

CONCLUSION

Stem cell therapy combined with core decompression was more effective in preventing collapse, radiographic progression and conversion to THA. Trial Registration The current protocol has been registered in PROSPERO with the registration number: CRD42023417248.

Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis Who Receive Platelet-Rich Plasma or Bone-Marrow Aspirate Concentrate Injections Have Better Outcomes Than Patients Who Receive Hyaluronic Acid: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To systematically review the literature in order to compare the efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODS

A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase to identify Level I studies that compared the clinical efficacy of at least 2 of the following 3 injection therapies: PRP, BMAC, and HA for knee OA. The search phrase used was knee AND osteoarthritis AND randomized AND ("platelet rich plasma" OR "bone marrow aspirate" OR "hyaluronic acid"). Patients were primarily assessed based on patient-reported outcome scores (PROs) including the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and Subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven studies (all Level I) met inclusion criteria, including 1,042 patients undergoing intra-articular injection(s) with PRP (mean age 57.7 years, mean follow-up 13.5 months), 226 patients with BMAC (mean age 57.0 years, mean follow-up 17.5 months), and 1,128 patients with HA (mean age 59.0 years, mean follow-up 14.4 months). Non-network meta-analyses demonstrated significantly better post-injection WOMAC (p < 0.001), VAS (p < 0.01), and Subjective IKDC scores (p < 0.001) in PRP patients when compared to HA patients. Similarly, network meta-analyses demonstrated significantly better post-injection WOMAC (p < 0.001), VAS (p = 0.03), and Subjective IKDC (p < 0.001) scores in BMAC patients when compared to HA patients. There were no significant differences in post-injection outcome scores when comparing PRP to BMAC.

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing treatment for knee OA with PRP or BMAC can be expected to experience improved clinical outcomes when compared to HA patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I, Meta-Analysis of Level I studies.

Long-term dynamic compression enhancement TGF-β3-induced chondrogenesis in bovine stem cells: a gene expression analysis

Background

Bioengineering has demonstrated the potential of utilising mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), growth factors, and mechanical stimuli to treat cartilage defects. However, the underlying genes and pathways are largely unclear. This is the first study on screening and identifying the hub genes involved in mechanically enhanced chondrogenesis and their potential molecular mechanisms.

Methods

The datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and contain six transforming growth factor-beta-3 (TGF-β3) induced bovine bone marrow-derived MSCs specimens and six TGF-β3/dynamic-compression-induced specimens at day 42. Screening differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was performed and then analysed via bioinformatics methods. The Database for Annotation, Visualisation, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) online analysis was utilised to obtain the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs was constructed based on data from the STRING database and visualised through the Cytoscape software. The functional modules were extracted from the PPI network for further analysis.

Results

The top 10 hub genes ranked by their connection degrees were IL6, UBE2C, TOP2A, MCM4, PLK2, SMC2, BMP2, LMO7, TRIM36, and MAPK8. Multiple signalling pathways (including the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, the toll-like receptor signalling pathway, the TNF signalling pathway, and the MAPK pathway) may impact the sensation, transduction, and reaction of external mechanical stimuli.

Conclusions

This study provides a theoretical finding showing that gene UBE2C, IL6, and MAPK8, and multiple signalling pathways may play pivotal roles in dynamic compression-enhanced chondrogenesis.

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate: Its Uses in Osteoarthritis

Human bone marrow (BM) is a kind of source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as well as growth factors and cytokines that may aid anti-inflammation and regeneration for various tissues, including cartilage and bone. However, since MSCs in BM usually occupy only a small fraction (0.001%) of nucleated cells, bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) for cartilage pathologies, such as cartilage degeneration, defect, and osteoarthritis, have gained considerable recognition in the last few years due to its potential benefits including disease modifying and regenerative capacity. Although further research with well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism of BMAC, this may have the most noteworthy effect in patients with osteoarthritis. The purpose of this article is to review the general characteristics of BMAC, including its constituent, action mechanisms, and related issues. Moreover, this article aims to summarize the clinical outcomes of BMAC reported to date.

Combined effects of oscillating hydrostatic pressure, perfusion and encapsulation in a novel bioreactor for enhancing extracellular matrix synthesis by bovine chondrocytes

The influence of combined shear stress and oscillating hydrostatic pressure (OHP), two forms of physical forces experienced by articular cartilage (AC) in vivo, on chondrogenesis, is investigated in a unique bioreactor system. Our system introduces a single reaction chamber design that does not require transfer of constructs after seeding to a second chamber for applying the mechanical forces, and, as such, biochemical and mechanical stimuli can be applied in combination. The biochemical and mechanical properties of bovine articular chondrocytes encapsulated in agarose scaffolds cultured in our bioreactors for 21 days are compared to cells statically cultured in agarose scaffolds in addition to static micromass and pellet cultures. Our findings indicate that glycosaminoglycan and collagen secretions were enhanced by at least 1.6-fold with scaffold encapsulation, 5.9-fold when adding 0.02 Pa of shear stress and 7.6-fold with simultaneous addition of 4 MPa of OHP when compared to micromass samples. Furthermore, shear stress and OHP have chondroprotective effects as evidenced by lower mRNA expression of β1 integrin and collagen X to non-detectable levels and an absence of collagen I upregulation as observed in micromass controls. These collective results are further supported by better mechanical properties as indicated by 1.6-19.8-fold increases in elastic moduli measured by atomic force microscopy.

Effects of mechanical loading on human mesenchymal stem cells for cartilage tissue engineering

Today, articular cartilage damage is a major health problem, affecting people of all ages. The existing conventional articular cartilage repair techniques, such as autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), microfracture, and mosaicplasty, have many shortcomings which negatively affect their clinical outcomes. Therefore, it is essential to develop an alternative and efficient articular repair technique that can address those shortcomings. Cartilage tissue engineering, which aims to create a tissue-engineered cartilage derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), shows great promise for improving articular cartilage defect therapy. However, the use of tissue-engineered cartilage for the clinical therapy of articular cartilage defect still remains challenging. Despite the importance of mechanical loading to create a functional cartilage has been well demonstrated, the specific type of mechanical loading and its optimal loading regime is still under investigation. This review summarizes the most recent advances in the effects of mechanical loading on human MSCs. First, the existing conventional articular repair techniques and their shortcomings are highlighted. The important parameters for the evaluation of the tissue-engineered cartilage, including chondrogenic and hypertrophic differentiation of human MSCs are briefly discussed. The influence of mechanical loading on human MSCs is subsequently reviewed and the possible mechanotransduction signaling is highlighted. The development of non-hypertrophic chondrogenesis in response to the changing mechanical microenvironment will aid in the establishment of a tissue-engineered cartilage for efficient articular cartilage repair.

Autologous bone-marrow mesenchymal cell induced chondrogenesis (MCIC)

Degenerative and traumatic articular cartilage defects are common, difficult to treat, and progressive lesions that cause significant morbidity in the general population. There have been multiple approaches to treat such lesions, including arthroscopic debridement, microfracture, multiple drilling, osteochondral transplantation and autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) that are currently being used in clinical practice. Autologous bone-marrow mesenchymal cell induced chondrogenesis (MCIC) is a single-staged arthroscopic procedure. This method combines a modified microfracture technique with the application of a bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), hyaluronic acid and fibrin gel to treat articular cartilage defects. We reviewed the current literatures and surgical techniques for mesenchymal cell induced chondrogenesis.

Development of a new co-culture system, the "separable-close co-culture system," to enhance stem-cell-to-chondrocyte differentiation

OBJECTIVE

To develop a new co-culture system, the separable-close co-culture system, to replace the indirect co-culture system which analyzes cellular interactions between two groups of cells with each type being cultured separately and also the direct co-culture system where the two cell types are cultured together.

RESULTS

The new system not only achieved effective cellular interactions but also allowed the effect that one group of cells has on another group of cells to be evaluated. We performed co-culturing of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and human articular chondrocytes using the new system. The new system made it possible to assess separately the effects of one group of cells on the other cell type, as in the indirect co-culture system. Furthermore, the new system rivaled or surpassed other co-culture systems in terms of the chondrogenic gene expression.

CONCLUSION

The new co-culture system is effective in terms of assessing gene expression in two cell types.

Comparison of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Source Differentiation Toward Human Pediatric Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells within 3D Engineered Matrices

Living tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHV) would be a major benefit for children who require a replacement with the capacity for growth and biological integration. A persistent challenge for TEHV is accessible human cell source(s) that can mimic native valve cell phenotypes and matrix remodeling characteristics that are essential for long-term function. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow (BMMSC) or adipose tissue (ADMSC) are intriguing cell sources for TEHV, but they have not been compared with pediatric human aortic valve interstitial cells (pHAVIC) in relevant 3D environments. In this study, we compared the spontaneous and induced multipotency of ADMSC and BMMSC with that of pHAVIC using different induction media within three-dimensional (3D) bioactive hybrid hydrogels with material modulus comparable to that of aortic heart valve leaflets. pHAVIC possessed some multi-lineage differentiation capacity in response to induction media, but limited to the earliest stages and much less potent than either ADMSC or BMMSC. ADMSC expressed cell phenotype markers more similar to pHAVIC when conditioned in basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) containing HAVIC growth medium, while BMMSC generally expressed similar extracellular matrix remodeling characteristics to pHAVIC. Finally, we covalently attached bFGF to PEG monoacrylate linkers and further covalently immobilized in the 3D hybrid hydrogels. Immobilized bFGF upregulated vimentin expression and promoted the fibroblastic differentiation of pHAVIC, ADMSC, and BMMSC. These findings suggest that stem cells retain a heightened capacity for osteogenic differentiation in 3D culture, but can be shifted toward fibroblast differentiation through matrix tethering of bFGF. Such a strategy is likely important for utilizing stem cell sources in heart valve tissue engineering applications.

Human chondrocyte migration behaviour to guide the development of engineered cartilage

Tissue-engineering techniques have been successful in developing cartilage-like tissues in vitro using cells from animal sources. The successful translation of these strategies to the clinic will likely require cell expansion to achieve sufficient cell numbers. Using a two-dimensional (2D) cell migration assay to first identify the passage at which chondrocytes exhibited their greatest chondrogenic potential, the objective of this study was to determine a more optimal culture medium for developing three-dimensional (3D) cartilage-like tissues using human cells. We evaluated combinations of commonly used growth factors that have been shown to promote chondrogenic growth and development. Human articular chondrocytes (AC) from osteoarthritic (OA) joints were cultured in 3D environments, either in pellets or encapsulated in agarose. The effect of growth factor supplementation was dependent on the environment, such that matrix deposition differed between the two culture systems. ACs in pellet culture were more responsive to bone morphogenetic protein (BMP2) alone or combinations containing BMP2 (i.e. BMP2 with PDGF or FGF). However, engineered cartilage development within agarose was better for constructs cultured with TGFβ3. These results with agarose and pellet culture studies set the stage for the development of conditions appropriate for culturing 3D functional engineered cartilage for eventual use in human therapies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Proteomic Analysis of Engineered Cartilage

Tissue engineering holds promise for the treatment of damaged and diseased tissues, especially for those tissues that do not undergo repair and regeneration readily in situ. Many techniques are available for cell and tissue culturing and differentiation of chondrocytes using a variety of cell types, differentiation methods, and scaffolds. In each case, it is critical to demonstrate the cellular phenotype and tissue composition, with particular attention to the extracellular matrix molecules that play a structural role and that contribute to the mechanical properties of the resulting tissue construct. Mass spectrometry provides an ideal analytical method with which to characterize the full spectrum of proteins produced by tissue-engineered cartilage. Using normal cartilage tissue as a standard, tissue-engineered cartilage can be optimized according to the entire proteome. Proteomic analysis is a complementary approach to biochemical, immunohistochemical, and mechanical testing of cartilage constructs. Proteomics is applicable as an analysis approach to most cartilage constructs generated from a variety of cellular sources including primary chondrocytes, mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue, induced pluripotent stem cells, and embryonic stem cells. Additionally, proteomics can be used to optimize novel scaffolds and bioreactor applications, yielding cartilage tissue with the proteomic profile of natural cartilage.

Growth factor priming differentially modulates components of the extracellular matrix proteome in chondrocytes and synovium-derived stem cells

To make progress in cartilage repair it is essential to optimize protocols for two-dimensional cell expansion. Chondrocytes and SDSCs are promising cell sources for cartilage repair. We previously observed that priming with a specific growth factor cocktail (1 ng/mL transforming growth factor-β1, 5 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor, and 10 ng/mL platelet-derived growth factor-BB) in two-dimensional culture, led to significant improvement in mechanical and biochemical properties of synovium-derived stem cell (SDSC)-seeded constructs. The current study assessed the effect of growth factor priming on the proteome of canine chondrocytes and SDSCs. In particular, growth factor priming modulated the proteins associated with the extracellular matrix in two-dimensional cultures of chondrocytes and SDSCs, inducing a partial dedifferentiation of chondrocytes (most proteins associated with cartilage were down-regulated in primed chondrocytes) and a partial differentiation of SDSCs (some collagen-related proteins were up-regulated in primed SDSCs). However, when chondrocytes and SDSCs were grown in pellet culture, growth factor-primed cells maintained their chondrogenic potential with respect to glycosaminoglycan and collagen production. In conclusion, the strength of the label-free proteomics technique is that it allows for the determination of changes in components of the extracellular matrix proteome in chondrocytes and SDSCs in response to growth factor priming, which could help in future tissue engineering strategies.

Development of scaffold-free elastic cartilaginous constructs with structural similarities to auricular cartilage

External ear reconstruction with autologous cartilage still remains one of the most difficult problems in the fields of plastic and reconstructive surgery. As the absence of tissue vascularization limits the ability to stimulate new tissue growth, relatively few surgical approaches are currently available (alloplastic implants or sculpted autologous cartilage grafts) to repair or reconstruct the auricle (or pinna) as a result of traumatic loss or congenital absence (e.g., microtia). Alternatively, tissue engineering can offer the potential to grow autogenous cartilage suitable for implantation. While tissue-engineered auricle cartilage constructs can be created, a substantial number of cells are required to generate sufficient quantities of tissue for reconstruction. Similarly, as routine cell expansion can elicit negative effects on chondrocyte function, we have developed an approach to generate large-sized engineered auricle constructs (≥3 cm(2)) directly from a small population of donor cells (20,000-40,000 cells/construct). Using rabbit donor cells, the developed bioreactor-cultivated constructs adopted structural-like characteristics similar to native auricular cartilage, including the development of distinct cartilaginous and perichondrium-like regions. Both alterations in media composition and seeding density had profound effects on the formation of engineered elastic tissue constructs in terms of cellularity, extracellular matrix accumulation, and tissue structure. Higher seeding densities and media containing sodium bicarbonate produced tissue constructs that were closer to the native tissue in terms of structure and composition. Future studies will be aimed at improving the accumulation of specific tissue constituents and determining the clinical effectiveness of this approach using a reconstructive animal model.

Supplementation of exogenous adenosine 5'-triphosphate enhances mechanical properties of 3D cell-agarose constructs for cartilage tissue engineering

Formation of tissue-engineered cartilage is greatly enhanced by mechanical stimulation. However, direct mechanical stimulation is not always a suitable method, and the utilization of mechanisms underlying mechanotransduction might allow for a highly effective and less aggressive alternate means of stimulation. In particular, the purinergic, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-mediated signaling pathway is strongly implicated in mechanotransduction within the articular cartilage. We investigated the effects of transient and continuous exogenous ATP supplementation on mechanical properties of cartilaginous constructs engineered using bovine chondrocytes and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) encapsulated in an agarose hydrogel. For both cell types, we have observed significant increases in equilibrium and dynamic compressive moduli after transient ATP treatment applied in the fourth week of cultivation. Continuous ATP treatment over 4 weeks of culture only slightly improved the mechanical properties of the constructs, without major changes in the total glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen content. Structure-function analyses showed that transiently ATP-treated constructs, and in particular those based on hMSCs, had the highest level of correlation between compositional and mechanical properties. Transiently treated groups showed intense staining of the territorial matrix for GAGs and collagen type II. These results indicate that transient ATP treatment can improve functional mechanical properties of cartilaginous constructs based on chondrogenic cells and agarose hydrogels, possibly by improving the structural organization of the bulk phase and territorial extracellular matrix (ECM), that is, by increasing correlation slopes between the content of the ECM components (GAG, collagen) and mechanical properties of the construct.

Coculture-driven mesenchymal stem cell-differentiated articular chondrocyte-like cells support neocartilage development

Controlled differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the chondrogenic lineage is crucial for in vitro generation of neocartilage, yet achieving it remains challenging. Traditional protocols for MSC differentiation using exogenous inductive molecules, such as transforming growth factor-β, fall short in meeting the needs of clinical applications because they yield differentiated cells that exhibit hypertrophic characteristics and subsequently facilitate endochondral bone formation. The objective of the current study was to deliver endogenous inductive factors from juvenile articular chondrocytes to bone marrow-derived MSCs to drive MSC chondrogenic differentiation through cocultivation of the two cell types in the absence of direct physical contact and exogenous stimulators. An initial chondrocyte/MSC ratio of 63:1 was identified as the appropriate proportion of the two cell populations to ensure that coculture-driven MSC-differentiated (CDMD) cells replicated the cellular morphology, behavior, and phenotype of articular chondrocytes. In a three-dimensional agarose system, CDMD cells were further shown to develop into robust neocartilage structurally and mechanically stronger than chondrocyte-laden constructs and with reduced hypertrophic potential. Although MSCs tended to lose the ability to express CD44, an important regulator in cartilage biology, during the coculture induction, CDMD cells regained this function in the three-dimensional tissue cultivation. The present work establishes a chondrocyte/MSC coculture model that serves as a template to better understand chondrocyte-driven MSC differentiation and provides insights for improved strategies to develop clinically relevant cartilage tissue replacements.

Biomechanics-driven chondrogenesis: from embryo to adult

Biomechanics plays a pivotal role in articular cartilage development, pathophysiology, and regeneration. During embryogenesis and cartilage maturation, mechanical stimuli promote chondrogenesis and limb formation. Mechanical loading, which has been characterized using computer modeling and in vivo studies, is crucial for maintaining the phenotype of cartilage. However, excessive or insufficient loading has deleterious effects and promotes the onset of cartilage degeneration. Informed by the prominent role of biomechanics, mechanical stimuli have been harnessed to enhance redifferentiation of chondrocytes and chondroinduction of other cell types, thus providing new chondrocyte cell sources. Biomechanical stimuli, such as hydrostatic pressure or compression, have been used to enhance the functional properties of neocartilage. By identifying pathways involved in mechanical stimulation, chemical equivalents that mimic mechanical signaling are beginning to offer exciting new methods for improving neocartilage. Harnessing biomechanics to improve differentiation, maintenance, and regeneration is emerging as pivotal toward producing functional neocartilage that could eventually be used to treat cartilage degeneration.