Acceleration of articular cartilage repair by combined gene transfer of human insulin-like growth factor I and fibroblast growth factor-2 in vivo.
BACKGROUND
Improving the biochemical and structural qualities of the new tissue that fills deep osteochondral defects is critical to enhance articular cartilage repair. We developed a novel molecular therapy to increase articular cartilage repair based on a combined strategy to stimulate chondrogenesis by co-transfection of the human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) in a xenogenic transplantation model.


METHODS
NIH 3T3 cells were transfected with expression plasmid vectors containing a cDNA for the E. coli lacZ gene (lacZ implants), the human IGF-I gene (IGF-I implants) or both the human IGF-I and FGF-2 genes (IGF-I/FGF-2 implants). The expression patterns of the transgenes were monitored in vitro for 21 days. LacZ, IGF-I and IGF-I/FGF-2 implants were transplanted into osteochondral defects in the trochlear groove of rabbits. At 3 weeks, the quality of articular cartilage repair was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively.


RESULTS
Both IGF-I and IGF-I/FGF-2 implants secreted increased levels of the corresponding recombinant proteins in vitro. In vivo, transplantation of the co-transfected IGF-I/FGF-2 implants increased the DNA content of the repair tissue, accelerated the formation of the subchondral bone and improved articular cartilage repair in a magnitude that was larger than with IGF-I alone or when compared to lacZ implants.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that gene delivery of a combination of IGF-I and FGF-2 to cartilage defects may be more beneficial than application of IGF-I alone.
Institute for Experimental Orthopaedics and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany. hmad@hotmail.com
Henning
H
Madry
Patrick
P
Orth
Gunter
G
Kaul
David
D
Zurakowski
Michael D
MD
Menger
Dieter
D
Kohn
Magali
M
Cucchiarini
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D014162:Transfection; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I