title: Effects of Photobiomodulation and Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Articular Cartilage Defects in a Rabbit Model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of cultured autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with scaffold and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the repair of articular cartilage defects in rabbits.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  For healing of the articular cartilage defects, although positive effects of BMSCs and LLLT have been demonstrated, their combination effect is still unknown; therefore, we investigated combining these two techniques has a synergistic effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  After bone marrow aspiration from 10 rabbits, BMSCs were isolated, cultured in monolayer, suspended on a type I collagen scaffold and then implanted onto a full-thickness osteochondral defect (4 mm in diameter), artificially made on the patellar groove of both knees in the same rabbits. Then a knee was selected randomly in each rabbit as the experimental group, and subjected to Ga-Al-As (810 nm) laser irradiation with energy density of 4 J/cm2every other day for 3 weeks. As the control group, the other knee did not receive LLLT. After this period, animals were euthanized and osteochondral defects were evaluated by histomorphometric methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference in new cartilage formation and inflammation was found between the groups (p > 0.05). However, there was significantly more new bone formation in the experimental group (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In terms of our research, although better healing in osteochondral defects was seen when combining BMSCs and LLLT compared with the use of BMSCs alone, this improvement was predominantly caused by new bone formation rather than new cartilage formation.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Periodontology, Dental Faculty, AJA University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fekrazad
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology , ACECR, Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Mohamadreza Baghaban
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Eslaminejad
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran .
authors.forename: Arman M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shayan
authors.affiliation: 4 Oral & Maxillofacial Pathologist, Iranian Medical Laser Association, Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Katayoun A M
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kalhori
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Fatemeh Mashhadi
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Sciences Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology , ACECR, Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taghiyar
authors.affiliation: 7 Department of Surgery & Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran , Tehran, Iran .
authors.forename: Mir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sepehr Pedram
authors.affiliation: 8 Department of Orthodontics, Gorgan Faculty of Dentistry, Golestan University of Medical Sciences , Golestan, Iran .
authors.forename: Mostafa Sadeghi
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ghuchani
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000528:radiation effects; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: articular cartilage repair; bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; low-level laser therapy; osteochondral defect; photobiomodulation; rabbit model