Investigation of the effects of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells and curcumin on Achilles tendon healing - can they act synergistically?

BACKGROUND: It is known that curcumin and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) positively affect experi-mental tendon injury healing. This study investigated individual effects and potential synergistic effects of using curcumin and UC-MSCs alone and together. METHODS: Eighty female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control, curcumin, sesame oil, MSCs, and Curcumin+MSCs groups. In all rats, punch tendon defect was created in both right and left Achilles tendons. While no additional treatment was applied to the control group, curcumin, sesame oil used as a solvent for curcumin, MSCs, and MSCs and curcumin com-bination were applied locally to the injury site, respectively, in the other groups. Curcumin was solved in sesame oil before application. In each group, half of the animals were euthanized in the post-operative 2nd week while the other half were euthanized in the post-operative 4th week. The right Achilles was used for biomechanical testing, while the left Achilles was used for histological evaluation and immunohistochemical analysis of type I, Type III collagen, and tenomodulin. RESULTS: Histologically, significant improvement was observed in the curcumin, MSCs, and Curcumin+ MSCs groups compared to the control Group in the 2nd week. In the 2nd and 4th weeks, Type III collagen was significantly increased in the curcumin group com-pared to the control group. In week 4, tenomodulin increased significantly in the curcumin and MSCs groups compared to the control group. Tendon tensile strength increased significantly in MSCs and Curcumin+MSCs groups compared to the control group in the 4th week. No superiority was observed between the treatment groups regarding their positive effects on recovery. CONCLUSION: Locally used curcumin and UC-MSCs showed positive effects that were not superior to each other in the healing of injury caused by a punch in the Achilles tendons of rats. However, synergistic effects on healing were not observed when they were applied together.

The effect of erythropoietin and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells on nerve regeneration in rats with sciatic nerve injury.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effects of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells and erythropoietin on nerve regeneration in the sciatic nerve 'crush injury' in a rat model. METHODS: Experimental animals were randomly divided into 5 groups: Crush Injury, Sham, Crush Injury + Erythropoietin, Crush Injury + Mesenchymal Stem Cell, Crush Injury + Erythropoietin + Mesenchymal Stem Cell groups. Crush injury made with bulldog clamp. Mesencyhmal stem cells delivered by enjection locally. Erythropoietin administered by intraperitoneally. On the 0th, 14th and 28th days, all groups underwent a sciatic functional index test. On 28th day, sciatic nerves were harvested and histopathological appearance, axon number and axon diameter of the sciatic nerves were evaluated with Oil Red O staining. Immunoreactivity of nerve growth factor, neurofilament-H and caspase-3 were determined by immunofluorescence staining in nerve tissue. RESULTS: In histopathological examination, axons and nerve bundles exhibiting normal nerve architecture in the Sham group. Crush Injury + Mesenchymal Stem Cell group has similar histological appearance to the Sham group. The number of axons were higher in the Mesenchymal Stem Cell groups compared to the Crush Injury group. Nerve growth factor immunoreactivity intensity was significantly lower in Crush Injury + Mesenchymal Stem Cell group compared to Crush Injury group. Neurofilament-H density was higher in the treatment groups when compared to the Crush Injury group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was found that umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells and erythropoietin treatments effects positively regeneration of crush injury caused by bulldog clamp in the sciatic nerve of rats.

Comparative Outcomes of Inferior Pedicle and Superomedial Pedicle Technique With Wise Pattern Reduction in Gigantomastic Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Although multiple pedicle and skin excision techniques exist for gigantomastic breast reduction, no consensus exists as to which method is most effective in providing an aesthetically pleasing breast, especially in the long-term period. This study aimed to compare the aesthetic and surgical outcomes between inferior pedicle and superomedial pedicle reductions, which both use Wise pattern skin excision in gigantomastic patients. METHODS: A prospective study was planned, and the number of patients was determined before the beginning of the study. Fifty inferior pedicle breast reductions (25 patients) were matched to 50 superomedial pedicle breast reductions (25 patients) after a 1-year postoperative period. Matching was done based on age, body mass index, size of reduction, minor and major postoperative complications, symptomatic relief, long-term measurements of the nipple-areola complex position, and inferior pole length elongation at 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in complications between the inferior and superomedial pedicle groups. The mean resection weight was 1320 (right) and 1355 g (left) in the inferior pedicle group and 1380 (right) and 1310 g (left) in the superomedial pedicle group (P < 0.05). The mean elongation of the nipple-areola complex to inframamarian fold distance was 1.97 (right) and 2.19 cm (left) in the inferior pedicle group and 2.15 (right) and 2.26 cm (left) in the superomedial pedicle group (P < 0.05). At 1 year postoperatively, the mean suprasternal notch to nipple distance was 22.10 (right) and 22.33 cm (left) in the inferior pedicle group and 22.90 (right) and 22.14 cm (left) in the superomedial pedicle group (P < 0.05). All patients achieved symptomatic relief. DISCUSSION: This study shows that the inferior pedicle is not superior to the superomedial pedicle technique with Wise patern skin excision in gigantomastic patients. Although both pedicle techniques generate acceptable aesthetic outcomes, bottoming-out has occurred in each of the groups with time. To prevent this deformity, some pedicle modifications may be required.