title: Injectable gellan gum hydrogels with autologous cells for the treatment of rabbit articular cartilage defects.
abstract: In this work, the ability of gellan gum hydrogels coupled with autologous cells to regenerate rabbit full-thickness articular cartilage defects was tested. Five study groups were defined: (a) gellan gum with encapsulated chondrogenic predifferentiated rabbit adipose stem cells (ASC + GF); (b) gellan gum with encapsulated nonchondrogenic predifferentiated rabbit adipose stem cells (ASC); (c) gellan gum with encapsulated rabbit articular chondrocytes (AC) (standard control); (d) gellan gum alone (control); (e) empty defect (control). Full-thickness articular cartilage defects were created and the gellan gum constructs were injected and left for 8 weeks. The macroscopic aspect of the explants showed a progressive increase of similarity with the lateral native cartilage, stable integration at the defect site, more pronouncedly in the cell-loaded constructs. Tissue scoring showed that ASC + GF exhibited the best results regarding tissue quality progression. Alcian blue retrieved similar results with a better outcome for the cell-loaded constructs. Regarding real-time PCR analyses, ASC + GF had the best progression with an upregulation of collagen type II and aggrecan, and a downregulation of collagen type I. Gellan gum hydrogels combined with autologous cells constitute a promising approach for the treatment of articular cartilage defects, and adipose derived cells may constitute a valid alternative to currently used articular chondrocytes.
authors.affiliation: 3B's Research Group-Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, AvePark, Zona Industrial da Gandra, S. Cláudio do Barco, 4806-909 Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal. joao.oliveira@dep.uminho.pt
authors.forename: João T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Leandro S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Gardel
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rada
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Manuela E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Rui L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology; D053674:Aggrecans / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000235:genetics; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007267:Injections; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D053674:Aggrecans; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024043:Collagen Type II; D020100:Hydrogels; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor; C048288:gellan gum