Xu Lei, Wu Yuxi, Liu Yanli, Zhou Yan, Ye Zhaoyang, Tan Wen-Song
State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei-Long Road, P. O. Box 309#, Shanghai, 200237 People's Republic of China.
Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2017 Sep 27;15(1):37-48. doi: 10.1007/s13770-017-0084-8. eCollection 2018 Feb.
Coculture between mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and chondrocytes has significant implications in cartilage regeneration. However, a conclusive understanding remains elusive. Previously, we reported that rabbit bone marrow-derived MSCs (rbBMSCs) could downregulate the differentiated phenotype of rabbit articular chondrocytes (rbACs) in a non-contact coculture system for the first time. In the present study, a systemic investigation was performed to understand the biological characteristics of chondrocytes in coculture with MSCs. Firstly, cells (MSCs and chondrocytes) from different origins were cocultured in transwell system. Different chondrocytes, when cocultured with different MSCs respectively, consistently demonstrated stimulated proliferation, transformed morphology and declined glycosaminoglycan secretion of chondrocytes. Next, cell surface molecules and the global gene expression of rbACs were characterized. It was found that cocultured rbACs showed a distinct surface molecule profile and global gene expression compared to both dedifferentiated rbACs and rbBMSCs. In the end, cocultured rbACs were passaged and induced to undergo the chondrogenic redifferentiation. Better growth and chondrogenesis ability were confirmed compared with control cells without coculture. Together, chondrocytes display comprehensive changes in coculture with MSCs and the cocultured rbACs are beneficial for cartilage repair.
间充质干细胞（MSCs）与软骨细胞的共培养在软骨再生中具有重要意义。然而，尚未得出确凿的结论。此前，我们首次报道兔骨髓间充质干细胞（rbBMSCs）在非接触共培养系统中可下调兔关节软骨细胞（rbACs）的分化表型。在本研究中，进行了一项系统性研究以了解与MSCs共培养的软骨细胞的生物学特性。首先，将不同来源的细胞（MSCs和软骨细胞）在Transwell系统中共培养。不同的软骨细胞分别与不同的MSCs共培养时，均表现出软骨细胞增殖受刺激、形态改变以及糖胺聚糖分泌减少。接下来，对rbACs的细胞表面分子和整体基因表达进行了表征。结果发现，与去分化的rbACs和rbBMSCs相比，共培养的rbACs表现出独特的表面分子谱和整体基因表达。最后，对共培养的rbACs进行传代并诱导其进行软骨形成再分化。与未共培养的对照细胞相比，证实其具有更好的生长和软骨形成能力。总之，软骨细胞在与MSCs共培养时表现出全面的变化，且共培养的rbACs有利于软骨修复。
