Intervertebral disc tissue engineering using a novel hyaluronic acid-nanofibrous scaffold (HANFS) amalgam.
Degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD) represents a significant musculoskeletal disease burden. Although spinal fusion has some efficacy in pain management, spine biomechanics is ultimately compromised. In addition, there is inherent limitation of hardware-based IVD replacement prostheses, which underscores the importance of biological approaches to disc repair. In this study, we have seeded multipotent, adult human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into a novel biomaterial amalgam to develop a biphasic construct that consisted of electrospun, biodegradable nanofibrous scaffold (NFS) enveloping a hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel center. The seeded MSCs were induced to undergo chondrogenesis in vitro in the presence of transforming growth factor-beta for up to 28 days. The cartilaginous hyaluronic acid-nanofibrous scaffold (HANFS) construct architecturally resembled a native IVD, with an outer annulus fibrosus-like region and inner nucleus pulposus-like region. Histological and biochemical analyses, immunohistochemistry, and gene expression profiling revealed the time-dependent development of chondrocytic phenotype of the seeded cells. The cells also maintain the microarchitecture of a native IVD. Taken together, these findings suggest the prototypic potential of MSC-seeded HANFS constructs for the tissue engineering of biological replacements of degenerated IVD.
Nesti
Leon J
LJ
Cartilage Biology and Orthopaedics Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Li
Wan-Ju
WJ
Shanti
Rabie M
RM
Jiang
Yi Jen
YJ
Jackson
Wesley
W
Freedman
Brett A
BA
Kuklo
Timothy R
TR
Giuliani
Jeffrey R
JR
Tuan
Rocky S
RS
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D036103:Nanotechnology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid