title: Matrigel scaffold combined with Ad-hBMP7-transfected chondrocytes improves the repair of rabbit cartilage defect.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore an effective method for the repair of cartilage defects using chitosan/glycerophosphate (C/GP) gel- and Matrigel-engineered human bone morphogenetic protein 7 (hBMP7)-expressing chondrocytes. Rabbit chondrocytes were obtained, culturedin vitroand transfected with an adenovirus containing hBMP7 and green fluorescent protein (Ad-hBMP7-GFP). The expression of hBMP7 in the transfected cells was tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting. The phenotype of the transfected cells was evaluated by detecting the yields of collagen II and hyaluronic acid using RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The growth of chondrocytes in the C/GP gel and Matrigel was accessed by measuring the cell growth rate, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and observation under a scanning microscope. Twelve adult male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Two cartilage defects were created in the rabbits' knees by aseptic surgery. Group A (n=4) did not receive any treatment, group B (n=4) were treated with C/GP gel and Matrigel-engineered Ad-mock-GFP-transfected chondrocytes, and group C (n=4) were treated with C/GP gel and Matrigel-engineered Ad-hBMP7-GFP-transfected chondrocytes. Rabbits were sacrificed at 4 weeks after transplantation, and the repair effect was measured by the Wakitani scoring method. On the basis of the RT-PCR and western blot results, hBMP7 was efficiently overexpressed in the Ad-hBMP7-GFP-transfected chondrocytes. The ELISA results showed that the yields of collagen II and hyaluronic acid in Ad-hBMP7-GFP-transfected chondrocytes were significantly higher than those in Ad-mock-GFP-transfected chondrocytes. Chondrocytes have a better morphology and arrangement in a Matrigel scaffold than in C/GP, as assessed by H&E staining and scanning microscopy. According to the Wakitani score, Matrigel combined with Ad-hBMP7-GFP-transfected chondrocytes successfully promoted the repair of cartilage defects in rabbit knees.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China; Department of Orthopedics, Nantong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nantong, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Nantong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nantong, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Huilin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Nantong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nantong, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China; Department of Orthopedics, Nantong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nantong, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Matrigel scaffold; bone morphogenetic protein 7; cartilage defect