title: Retropatellar fat pad-derived stem cells from older osteoarthritic patients have lesser differentiation capacity and expression of stemness genes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of retropatellar fat pad-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (RFMSCs) for cell-based therapy, particularly for cartilage repair, has been reported by several investigators in recent years. However, the effects of the donor's age and medical condition on the characteristics of RFMSCs have not been well established. The aim of this study was to determine whether age and medical condition can reduce the multipotential of stem cells isolated from the retropatellar fat pad.
  
  
  METHODS
  The RFMSCs were isolated from patients with osteoarthritic knee cartilage (degenerative group; 40-60 years old) and compared with patients without degenerative knee disease (young group; <40 years old) in terms of their growth kinetics, immunophenotype, differentiation ability and stemness gene expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data showed that RFMSCs from both groups have similar growth kinetics and immunophenotype profile at passage 3. However, RFMSCs from the degenerative group showed lower adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation ability compared with RFMSCs derived from the young group. The stemness gene expression level of RFMSCs derived from the degenerative group was lower than that in the young group. RFMSCs from both groups met the minimum criteria of mesenchymal stromal cells and have the potential for cartilage regeneration. However, RFMSCs from the degenerative group showed lower regeneration capability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that older age and osteoarthritic condition did affect the multipotential of stem cells derived from the retropatellar fat pad under the current prescribed condition. More studies will be conducted to clarify whether the age or medical condition contributed more to the loss of differentiation capacity and stemness gene expression of RFMSCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kien-Hui
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wan Kamarul
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Zaman Wan Safwani
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Adila A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Siti Khadijah
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shuhup
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Hazla
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Mohd Haflah
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: nhmycj@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nor Hamdan
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Mohd Yahaya
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology*; D000328:Adult; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: chondrogenesis; osteoarthritis; regenerative medicine; retropatellar fat pad; stem cells; total knee replacement