ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE(S): Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in middle-aged population in the world. Cartilage tissue engineering (TE) has been presented as an effort to introduce the best combination of cells, biomaterial scaffolds and stimulating growth factors to produce a cartilage tissue similar to the natural articular cartilage. In this study, the chondrogenic potential of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) was compared with natural articular chondrocytes cultured in alginate scaffold. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human ADSCs were obtained from subcutaneous adipose tissue and human articular chondrocytes from non-weight bearing areas of knee joints. Cells were seeded in 1.5% alginate and cultured in chondrogenic media for three weeks with and without TGFß3. The genes expression of types II and X collagens was assessed by Real Time PCR and the amount of aggrecan (AGC) and type I collagen measured by ELISA and the content of glycosaminoglycan evaluated by GAG assay. RESULTS: Our findings showed that type II collagen, GAG and AGC were expressed, in differentiated ADSCs. Meanwhile, they produced a lesser amount of types II and X collagens but more AGC, GAG and type I collagen in comparison with natural chondrocytes (NCs). CONCLUSION: Further attempt should be carried out to optimize achieving type II collagen in DCs, as much as, natural articular chondrocytes and decline of the production of type I collagen in order to provide efficient hyaline cartilage after chondrogenic induction, prior to the usage of harvested tissues in clinical trials.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The main obstacle for tissue engineering is to find the most appropriate cell which is able to produce extracellular matrix (ECM) similar or better than natural chondrocytes in vitro. This study compared aggrecan synthesis's potential between differentiated chondrocytes (DCs) from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and natural articular chondrocytes (NCs) in 3D culture in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human ADSCs were isolated from sub-cutaneous adipose tissue and then the surface markers including CD 14, 45 CD105, CD90, CD44 were analyzed by flow cytometry. Also human articular chondrocytes were yielded of non-weight bearing area of Knee cartilage. Both types of the cells were encapsulated in alginate scaffolds and cultured in chondrogenic medium with and without TGFß3 for 3 weeks. Then the extent of aggercan (AGC) production was evaluated by ELISA on days 14 and 21. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that differentiated chondrocytes (DCs) with and without TGFß3 synthesized more AGC than natural chondrocytes (NCs) on day 14. But DCs without TGFß3 had higher production than other groups on day 21. Application of TGFß3 resulted in an increase of amount of AGC in DCs on day 14 but a decrease on day 21 than same group. CONCLUSION: Since, aggrecan is an important chondrogenic marker, it was concluded that ADSCs can be possible reliable alternative cell source for cartilage tissue engineering in future.
