title: Intra-articular Injection of platelet-rich fibrin releasates in combination with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of articular cartilage defects: An in vivo study in rabbits.
abstract: The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can be differentiated into chondrocytes under specific conditions, has been proposed for the treatment of cartilage defects. Blood-derived platelet-rich fibrin releasate (PRFr), which is rich in growth factors and cytokines, may improve cartilage regeneration. In this study, the therapeutic effects of PRFr in combination with bone marrow-derived MSCs for articular cartilage regeneration were evaluated in a rabbit model. Critical osteochondral defects were surgically created in the femoral condyle of the rabbits, and 3 × 106of MSCs, 0.8 mL of PRFr, or a combination of MSCs and PRFr were injected intra-articularly and one week after first administration. The animals were sacrificed 12 weeks postoperatively, and the regenerated cartilages were assessed by gross inspection and histological examination. No treatment-related adverse events were noted in any of the rabbits. The size of the defect decreased and the volume of regenerated cartilage increased in the medial femoral condyles of the MSCs + PRFr group. Relative to the MSCs or PRFr group, histological examination demonstrated that the MSCs + PRFr group had thicker hyaline-like cartilaginous tissue with normal glycosaminoglycan production. Grading scores revealed that MSCs + PRFr injection had better matrix, cell distribution, and surface indices than other groups. The results showed that intra-articular injections of MSCs + PRFr into the knee can reduce cartilage defects by regenerating hyaline-like cartilage without adverse events. This approach may provide an alternative method of autologous chondrocyte implantation to repair cartilage defects with an unlimited source of cells and releasate. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1536-1543, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.|Department of Orthopedics, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City, 23702, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chang-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, 40201, Taiwan.|Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 40201, Taiwan.|Department of Occupational Therapy, Asia University, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shi-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sheu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.|Department of Orthopedics, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City, 23702, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Ho
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kai-Chiang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.|Department of Post-Baccalaureate Veterinary Medicine, Asia University, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzong-Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064592:Autografts; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells; D000073183:Platelet-Rich Fibrin; D011817:Rabbits
keywords: cartilage regeneration; chondrocytes; mesenchymal stem cells; platelet-rich fibrin releasate