title: Engraftment of autologous bone marrow cells into the injured cranial cruciate ligament in dogs.
abstract: Current research indicates that exogenous stem cells may accelerate reparative processes in joint disease but, no previous studies have evaluated whether bone marrow cells (BMCs) target the injured cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in dogs. The objective of this study was to investigate engraftment of BMCs following intra-articular injection in dogs with spontaneous CCL injury. Autologous PKH26-labelled BMCs were injected into the stifle joint of eight client-owned dogs with CCL rupture. The effects of PKH26 staining on cell viability and PKH26 fluorescence intensity were analysed in vitro using a MTT assay and flow cytometry. Labelled BMCs in injured CCL tissue were identified using fluorescence microscopy of biopsies harvested 3 and 13 days after intra-articular BMC injection. The intensity of PKH26 fluorescence declines with cell division but was still detectable after 16 days. Labelling with PKH26 had no detectable effect on cell viability or proliferation. Only rare PKH26-positive cells were present in biopsies of the injured CCL in 3/7 dogs and in synovial fluid in 1/7 dogs. No differences in transforming growth factor-β1, and interleukin-6 before and after BMC treatment were found and no clinical complications were noted during a 1 year follow-up period. In conclusion, BMCs were shown to engraft to the injured CCL in dogs when injected into the articular cavity. Intra-articular application of PKH26-labelled cultured mesenchymal stem cells is likely to result in higher numbers of engrafted cells that can be tracked using this method in a clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Division of Small Animal Surgery and Orthopedics, Vetsuisse Faculty Bern, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 128, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Linon
authors.affiliation: Division of Small Animal Surgery and Orthopedics, Vetsuisse Faculty Bern, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 128, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spreng
authors.affiliation: Division of Small Animal Surgery and Orthopedics, Vetsuisse Faculty Bern, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 128, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rytz
authors.affiliation: Division of Small Animal Surgery and Orthopedics, Vetsuisse Faculty Bern, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 128, 3012 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: simone.forterre@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forterre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular / Q000662:veterinary; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012421:Rupture / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009930:Organic Chemicals; C070080:PKH 26
keywords: Bone marrow cells; Cranial cruciate ligament; Dog; Mesenchymal stem cells, PKH26; Transplantation