Human amniotic membrane intra-articular injection prevents cartilage damage in an osteoarthritis model.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects the soft tissues and bones of involved articulations as a result of deregulation between synthesis and extracellular matrix degradation in articular cartilage. The present study evaluated the effect of intra-articular injection of human amniotic membrane (AM) as a treatment in an OA animal model in the knee. Chemical OA was developed in the knees of New Zealand rabbits. Once OA was established, the right knees only were treated with an intra-articular injection of human AM, with the left knees considered as a negative control group. The evaluation was performed at 3 and 6 weeks post-treatment. At 3 weeks post-injection, the cartilage exhibited fibrillation, erosion, cracks and cell clusters in the negative control group, but not in the treated group (P=0.028). At 6 weeks post-injection, the left knees exhibited hypertrophy, cracks, cell clusters, decreased matrix staining and structure loss. However, the right knees exhibited cell clusters without evidence of disruption in cartilage integrity (P=0.015). These results suggested that the intra-articular injection of human AM delays histological changes of cartilage in OA.

Lesiones condrales de rodilla tratadas con trasplante de condrocitos autólogos en una matriz tridimensional: Evaluación clínica a un año de evolución / Chondral knee lesions treated with autologous chondrocyte transplant in a three-dimensionematrix: Clinical assessment at one year of evolution

Objetivos: evaluar la evolución clínica de pacientes tratados con Implante de Condrocitos Autólogos (ICA) en una matriz tridimensional, creada en nuestro Banco de Hueso y Tejidos. Pacientes y metodología: 22 pacientes, 15 fueron evaluados a un año de la cirugía, 6 hombres y 9 mujeres, con una media de edad de 42 años. Siete fueron rodillas izquierdas y ocho derechas y la localización fue en nueve casos en el cóndilo lateral, cuatro en el cóndilo medial, uno en la rótula y otro en ambos cóndilos. Se obtuvieron artroscópicamente condrocitos autólogos que, una vez procesados, se colocaron en la matriz (Condrograft®). Resultados: con el WOMAC antes de la cirugía se obtuvo un promedio de 56,4, y de 16,2 después de la cirugía (<0,002) y con el de Oxford el promedio fue de 18,8. El promedio de la valoración con el KOOS fue de 83,6. Los hombres presentaron una media de 88,1 mientras que las mujeres de 80,5. Los pacientes con lesión en el cóndilo lateral presentaron una media de 86,7 puntos, y los afectados del cóndilo medial 88,2. Conclusión: el ICA en una matriz tridimensional es efectiva para el tratamiento de pacientes con lesiones osteocondrales, al menos, a corto plazo (AU)

Objective: To establish clinical outcome in patients treated with an autologous chondrocyte implant (ACI) in a three-dimension matrix created at our Bone and Tissue Bank. Patients and methods: Twenty-two patients were operated, 15 of whom were evaluated at one year of surgery. The patients included 6 men and 9 women with a mean age of 42 years. Seven were left knees and eight right and in nine cases the location was the lateral acetabulum, in four the medial acetabulum, in one the patella, and the other in both acetabula. Autologous chondrocytes were obtained by arthroscopy that, once processed, were placed in the matrix (Condrograft®). Results: With the WOMAC prior to surgery, an average of 56.4 and 16.2 was obtained after surgery (<0.002). With Oxford, the average was 18.8. The average assessment with KOOS was 83.6. Men had a mean of 88.1, while women had 80.5. Patients with lesion in the lateral acetabulum had a mean of 86.7 points and those with the medial acetabulum affected 88.2. Conclusion: The ACI in a three-dimension matrix is effective for treating patients with osteochondral lesions, at least in the short term (AU)

Transferencia génica mediante virus adeno-asociados en un modelo de daño articular en rodilla de rata / Gene transfer mediated by adeno-associated virus vector in a rat knee model of articular damage

El cartílago articular es el tejido encargado de disminuirla fricción entre las superficies articulares durante el movimiento.Su limitada capacidad de regeneración hace quelas lesiones osteocondrales posean un mal pronóstico ypuedan acabar generando una artrosis en la articulación.La terapia génica para este tipo de patologías resulta muyprometedora, puesto que actualmente, no hay ningún procedimientocapaz de restablecer el tejido dañado. En nuestroestudio hemos puesto a punto un modelo de transferenciagénica a los tejidos de la articulación de la rodillade rata, inyectando intraarticularmente vectores derivadosde virus adeno-asociados, capaces de inducir la expresiónde luciferasa. Los resultados muestran cómo la inducciónde la expresión resulta significativa a partir de los dos mesesde evolución en todos los tejidos articulares (cartílagoarticular, menisco, membrana sinovial y hueso subcondral).La presencia de daño, tanto de tipo mecánico comoautoinmune (artritis inducida por colágeno) no modifica laexpresión de proteína por parte del vector

Articular cartilage is a tissue that decreases friction onarticular surfaces during movement. Its limited regenerativecapacity makes osteocondral lessions to extend andgenerate osteoarthritis in the joint. Gene therapy is apromising alternative to these patologies, since there areno proceedings actually, that restablishes damaged tissue.In our study, we have developed a model of gene transferto articular tissues injecting intraarticularly an adeno-associatedderived vector that induces expression of luciferase.Results obtained show a significant induction of proteinexpression two months after injecting vectors, in all articulartissues (articular cartilage, meniscus, synovium andsubcondral bone). The presence of lessions, mechanic orautoimmune (collagen induced arthritis) do not modify theexpression of protein induced by the vector