RESUMO
Objective To investigate the effect of tissue engineered cartilage on the repair of artic ular cartilage defects in rabbits with calcium alginate gel (CAG) loaded transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) and compounded with adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs).Methods The ADSCs were separated and cultured in subcutaneous fat of New Zealand white rabbits.The full-thickness articular cartilage defect model was made at the patellar groove by exposure of the femoral ankle joint.ADSCs were implanted into calcium alginate scaffolds loaded with TGF-β3 to construct tissue-engineered cartilage and transplanted into rabbit articular cartilage defects.The animals were divided into four groups:control group (injected with sterile isotonic saline),CAG group (injected with CAG),ADSCs + CAG group (injected with CAG loaded with ADSCs),TGF-β3 + CAG group (injected with CAG loaded with TGF-β3) and TGF-β3 + ADSCs + CAG group (injected with CAG loaded with TGF-β3 and ADSCs).At the end of 12 weeks,the repair of articular cartilage defects was observed by gross observation,hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining,immunohistochemical staining of safranin-O and type Ⅱ] collagen,and the scoring method developed by In ternational Association of Cartilage Repair (ICRS) Histological score.Results The cartilage repair effect of TGF-β3 + ADSCs + CAG group was better than that of other groups,not only the neonatal tissue and the surrounding normal tissue closely,but also the secretion of extracellular matrix and normal tissue similar.The ICRS scores of each group were (7.06 ±+ 0.18) score,(7.15 + 0.23) score,(7.45 + 0.25) score,(7.47 + 0.24) score and (15.78 ±+ 0.24) score.That of TGF-β3 + ADSCs + CAG group was better than that of other groups,the difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions CAG loaded with TGF-β3 and combined with ADSCs has a good effect in repairing articular cartilage defects in rabbits,and is a structural repair.