Yilin Cao

Effects of co-culturing BMSCs and auricular chondrocytes on the elastic modulus and hypertrophy of tissue engineered cartilage.

Co-culture of BMSCs and chondrocytes is considered as a promising strategy to generate tissue engineered cartilage as chondrocytes induce the chondrogenesis of BMSCs and inhibit the hypertrophy of engineered cartilage. Because the tissue specific stem/progenitor cells have been isolated from mature tissues including auricular cartilage, we hypothesized that adding stem cells to auricular chondrocytes in co-culture would also enhance the quality of engineered cartilage. In the present study, using the histological assay, biomechanical evaluation, and quantitative analysis of gene expression, we compared different strategies of auricular chondrocytes, BMSCs induction, and co-culture at different ratios on PGA/PLA scaffolds to construct tissue engineered elastic cartilage in vitro and in vivo. The up-regulation of RUNX2 and down-regulation of SOX9 were found in BMSCs chondrogenic induction group, which might imply a regulatory mechanism for the hypertrophy and potential osteogenic differentiation. Engineered cartilage in co-culture 5:5 group showed the densest elastic fibers and the highest Youngs modulus, which were consistent with the expression profile of cartilage matrix-related genes including DCN and LOXL2 genes. Moreover, the better proliferative and chondrogenic potentials of engineered cartilage in co-culture 5:5 group were demonstrated by the stronger expression of Ki67 and Dlk1.

Vascular and micro-environmental influences on MSC-coral hydroxyapatite construct-based bone tissue engineering

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) has been demonstrated an effective approach to generate bone tissue and repair bone defect in ectopic and orthotopic sites. The strategy of using a prevascularized tissue-engineered bone grafts (TEBG) fabricated ectopically to repair bone defects, which is called live bone graft surgery, has not been reported. And the quantitative advantages of vascularization and osteogenic environment in promoting engineered bone formation have not been defined yet. In the current study we generated a tissue engineered bone flap with a vascular pedicle of saphenous arteriovenous in which an organized vascular network was observed after 4 weeks implantation, and followed by a successful repaire of fibular defect in beagle dogs. Besides, after a 9 months long term observation of engineered bone formation in ectopic and orthotopic sites, four CHA (coral hydroxyapatite) scaffold groups were evaluated by CT (computed tomography) analysis. By the comparison of bone formation and scaffold degradation between different groups, the influences of vascularization and micro-environment on tissue engineered bone were quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that in the first 3 months vascularization improved engineered bone formation by 2 times of non-vascular group and bone defect micro-environment improved it by 3 times of ectopic group, and the CHA-scaffold degradation was accelerated as well.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells from the elderly exhibit decreased migration and differentiation abilities with senescent properties.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can be applied extensively in the clinic because they can be easily isolated and cause less donor-site morbidity; however, their application can be complicated by patient-specific factors, such as age and harvest site. In this study, we systematically evaluated the effects of age on the quantity and quality of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) isolated from excised chest subcutaneous adipose tissue and investigated the underlying molecular mechanism. hASCs were isolated from donors of 3 different age-groups (i.e., child, young adult, and elderly). hASCs are available from individuals across all age-groups and maintain mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) characteristics. However, the increased age of the donors was found to have a significant negative effect on hASCs frequency base on colony-forming unit fibroblasts assay. Moreover, there is a decline in both stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cell yield and the proliferation rate of hASCs with increasing age, although this relationship is not significant. Aging increases cellular senescence, which is manifested as an increase in SA-β-gal-positive cells, increased mitochondrial-specific reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and the expression of p21 in the elderly. Further, advancing age was found to have a significant negative effect on the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation potentials of hASCs, particularly at the early and mid-stages of induction, suggesting a slower response to the inducing factors of hASCs from elderly donors. Finally, impaired migration ability was also observed in the elderly group and was determined to be associated with decreased expression of chemokine receptors, such as CXCR4 and CXCR7. Taken together, these results suggest that, while hASCs from different age populations are phenotypically similar, they present major differences at the functional level. When considering potential applications of hASCs in cell-based therapeutic strategies, the negative influence of age on hASC differentiation potential and migration abilities should be taken seriously.

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Engineered Cartilage Ameliorates Polyglycolic Acid/Polylactic Acid Scaffold-Induced Inflammation Through M2 Polarization of Macrophages in a Pig Model

The regeneration of tissue‐engineered cartilage in an immunocompetent environment usually fails due to severe inflammation induced by the scaffold and their degradation products. In the present study, we compared the tissue remodeling and the inflammatory responses of engineered cartilage constructed with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), chondrocytes, or both and scaffold group in pigs. The cartilage‐forming capacity of the constructs in vitro and in vivo was evaluated by histological, biochemical, and biomechanical analyses, and the inflammatory response was investigated by quantitative analysis of foreign body giant cells and macrophages. Our data revealed that BMSC‐based engineered cartilage suppressed in vivo inflammation through the alteration of macrophage phenotype, resulting in better tissue survival compared with those regenerated with chondrocytes alone or in combination with BMSCs. To further confirm the macrophage phenotype, an in vitro coculture system established by engineered cartilage and macrophages was studied using immunofluorescence, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and gene expression analysis. The results demonstrated that BMSC‐based engineered cartilage promoted M2 polarization of macrophages with anti‐inflammatory phenotypes including the upregulation of CD206, increased IL‐10 synthesis, decreased IL‐1β secretion, and alterations in gene expression indicative of M1 to M2 transition. It was suggested that BMSC‐seeded constructs have the potential to ameliorate scaffold‐induced inflammation and improve cartilaginous tissue regeneration through M2 polarization of macrophages.

Role of insulin-transferrin-selenium in auricular chondrocyte proliferation and engineered cartilage formation in vitro.

The goal of this study is to determine the effects of Insulin-Transferrin-Selenium (ITS) on proliferation of auricular chondrocytes and formation of engineered cartilage in vitro. Pig auricular monolayer chondrocytes and chondrocyte pellets were cultured in media containing 1% ITS at different concentrations of fetal bovine serum (FBS, 10%, 6%, 2%, 0%), or 10% FBS alone as a control for four weeks. Parameters including cell proliferation in monolayer, wet weight, collagen type I/II/X (Col I, II, X) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) expression, GAG content of pellets and gene expression associated with cartilage formation/dedifferentiation (lost cartilage phenotype)/hypertrophy within the chondrocyte pellets were assessed. The results showed that chondrocytes proliferation rates increased when FBS concentrations increased (2%, 6%, 10% FBS) in ITS supplemented groups. In addition, 1% ITS plus 10% FBS significantly promoted cell proliferation than 10% FBS alone. No chondrocytes grew in ITS alone medium. 1% ITS plus 10% FBS enhanced cartilage formation in terms of size, wet weight, cartilage specific matrices, and homogeneity, compared to 10% FBS alone group. Furthermore, ITS prevented engineered cartilage from dedifferentiation (i.e., higher index of Col II/Col I mRNA expression and expression of aggrecan) and hypertrophy (i.e., lower mRNA expression of Col X and MMP13). In conclusion, our results indicated that ITS efficiently enhanced auricular chondrocytes proliferation, retained chondrogenic phenotypes, and promoted engineered cartilage formation when combined with FBS, which is potentially used as key supplementation in auricular chondrocytes and engineered cartilage culture.

Influence of Immunogenicity of Allogeneic Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Bone Tissue Engineering.

Allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (allo-BMSC)-based tissue-engineered bone (TEB) has great potential for bone defect repair. However, the immunogenicities and biological roles of allo-BMSCs are still controversial. In this study, we established an animal model of critical-sized mandibular defect in beagle dogs and compared the repairing effects of allo-BMSC-based TEB with autogenic BMSC (auto-BMSC)-based TEB without the administration of immunosuppressants. During the first 2 weeks postimplantation, a transient immune response in the allo-BMSC group was detected with an increase in proinflammation cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2, a declination of anti-inflammation cytokine IL-10, and an increase in percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets in peripheral blood. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in bone union achievement, bone mineral density, and biomechanical properties between the two groups at 12 and 24 weeks postimplantation. Further subcutaneous implantation of allo-BMSCs/scaffold also exhibited the similar transient immune responses in the first 2 weeks postimplantation but followed by a decreased bone formation at 4 and 8 weeks postimplantation. These findings indicate that allo-BMSCs can induce a transient immunoreaction, which may temporally delay the osteogenesis of allo-BMSC/scaffold complex in early stage of in vivo implantation, whereas the long-term engineered bone formation was not affected.

The Dose–Effect Relationship between the Seeding Quantity of Human Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells and in Vivo Tissue-Engineered Bone Yield:

Although the feasibility of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (hBMMSC)-based tissue-engineered bone (TEB) has been proven in a number of studies, reaching a high positive fraction and bone yield of TEB still remains a challenge. Here we report a dose–effect relationship of the quantity of seeded cells with in vivo bone yield and the required quantity of hBMMSCs for the effective, stable bone formation of TEB. In our study, TEB was constructed using the static seeding technique with the gradient of seeding densities and volumes of passage 3 hBMMSCs. The in vitro characteristics of seeding efficiency, proliferation, viability, distribution, and osteogenic differentiation of hBMMSCs seeded on two commercial scaffolds of β-TCP and CHA were investigated using alamarBlue assay, live/dead staining, confocal laser scanning microscope, scanning electronic microscopy examination, and mRNA expression analysis of osteogenic differentiation markers. After 3 months of ectopic implantation, in vivo bone regeneration was examined by quantitative analysis of histology and micro-CT. The results showed that 10 × 106 cells/ml was the minimum cell seeding density for CHA and β-TCP to generate new bone in vivo. In addition, 20 × 106 cells/ml and 30 × 106 cells/ml were the saturating seeding densities for CHA and β-TCP to produce new bone effectively and stably, respectively. Thus, for different scaffolds, the saturating seeding density should be investigated first to ensure the effectiveness and stability of TEB construction with minimum donor injury, which is essential for the clinical application of TEB.

Different Ratios of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Chondrocytes Used in Tissue-Engineered Cartilage and Its Application for Human Ear-Shaped Substitutes in vitro

The application of chondrocyte-based cartilage tissue engineering is limited because of the lack of autologous cartilage sources and chondrocyte dedifferentiation after in vitro expansion. Coculture of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and chondrocytes has been a promising strategy for cartilage engineering as chondrocytes can provide a chondrogenic environment for BMSCs. However, there are no systematic comparison studies for engineered cartilage constructed using different mixing ratios of BMSCs and chondrocytes, and the most effective mixing ratio with the lowest number of chondrocytes is unknown. Here, we set a gradient of mixing ratios of BMSCs to chondrocytes for an in vitro coculture system and compared the shape retention and quality of the engineered cartilage using macroscopic and histological assays, glycosaminoglycan content assessment and immunohistochemical staining of type II collagen, biomechanical evaluation and hypertrophy-related gene expression analysis. The results showed that at least 30% chondrocytes were required to generate cartilage tissue with satisfactory shape and quality. Therefore, we preliminarily assessed the feasibility of engineering a human ear-shaped substitute using a coculture system with a 7:3 ratio of BMSCs to chondrocytes. After 8 weeks of in vitro culture, the precise architecture of the human ear-shaped construct was well maintained with the typical cartilaginous composition confirmed by histological assays.

The effects of different vascular carrier patterns on the angiogenesis and osteogenesis of BMSC–TCP-based tissue-engineered bone in beagle dogs

Bone repair using tissue‐engineered bone (TEB) in a large defect or accompanied by a poor recipient vascular bed is a long‐standing challenge. Surgical vascular carrier patterns of vascular bundle (VB) and arteriovenous loop (AV loop) have been shown to improve the vascularization and repair capacity of TEB. However, the effects of these different vascular carrier patterns on angiogenesis and osteogenesis in TEB have never been evaluated. Here, TEB was constructed with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and β‐TCP and prevascularized by the VB or AV loop technique in beagle dogs. The vascularization and bone formation in TEB were quantitatively compared using Microfil perfusion, histological examination and CT and micro‐CT analyses. The distribution and constitution of the neovasculature were analysed to determine the underlying mechanism of angiogenesis. The results showed that prevascularized TEB generated bone tissue faster and more homogeneously than untreated TEB. The VB technique was found to strike a better balance between bone regeneration and β‐TCP scaffold degradation than the AV loop strategy, which resulted in more vascularization but less bone yield, due to faster degradation of the β‐TCP scaffold. This study indicates that a suitable triangular relationship, composed of bone regeneration, scaffold degradation and vasculature, is critical to TEB construction. Copyright

Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells Combined with Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate Granules for Alveolar Cleft Repair: A 12-Month Clinical Study

Alveolar cleft is the most common congenital bone defect. Autologous iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) is the most widely adopted procedure for alveolar cleft repair, but the condition is associated with door-site morbidities. For the first time, this study used bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) combined with beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) granules to repair alveolar bone defect. The effectiveness of this technique was compared with autologous ICBG after 12 months of follow-up. The bone formation volume was quantitatively evaluated by three-dimensional computed tomography and computer aided engineering technology. BMMNCs/β-TCP granule grafting was radiographically equivalent to ICBG in alveolar cleft repair. Although considerable resorption was observed up to 6 months after surgery, no significant differences were noted in the Chelsea score and bone formation volume between groups. These finding indicate that BMMNCs/β-TCP grafting is a safe and effective approach for alveolar bone regeneration.