Tschon Matilde, Brogini Silvia, Parrilli Annapaola, Bertoldi Serena, Silini Antonietta, Parolini Ornella, Faré Silvia, Martini Lucia, Veronesi Francesca, Fini Milena, Giavaresi Gianluca
IRCCS-Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Complex Structure of Surgical Sciences and Technologies, Bologna, Italy.
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Biotechnol Bioeng. 2021 Jan;118(1):465-480. doi: 10.1002/bit.27584. Epub 2020 Oct 9.
Chondral and osteochondral lesions represent one of the most challenging problems in the orthopedic field, as these types of injuries lead to disability and worsened quality of life for patients and have an economic impact on the healthcare system. The aim of this in vivo study was to develop a new tissue engineering approach through a hybrid scaffold for osteochondral tissue regeneration made of porous polyurethane foam (PU) coated under vacuum with calcium phosphates (PU/VAC). Scaffold characterization showed a highly porous and interconnected structure. Human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) were loaded into scaffolds using pectin (PECT) as a carrier. Osteochondral defects in medial femoral condyles of rabbits were created and randomly allocated in one of the following groups: plain scaffold (PU/VAC), scaffold with hAMSCs injected in the implant site (PU/VAC/hAMSC), scaffold with hAMSCs loaded in pectin (PU/VAC/PECT/hAMSC), and no treated defects (untreated). The therapeutic efficacy was assessed by macroscopic, histological, histomorphometric, microtomographic, and ultrastructural analyses at 3, 6, 12, and 24 weeks. Histological results showed that the scaffold was permissive to tissue growth and penetration, an immature osteocartilaginous tissue was observed at early experimental times, with a more accentuated bone regeneration in comparison with the cartilage layer in the absence of any inflammatory reaction.
软骨和骨软骨损伤是骨科领域最具挑战性的问题之一，因为这类损伤会导致患者残疾和生活质量下降，并对医疗系统产生经济影响。本体内研究的目的是开发一种新的组织工程方法，通过一种由多孔聚氨酯泡沫（PU）在真空下涂覆磷酸钙制成的混合支架（PU/VAC）来实现骨软骨组织再生。支架表征显示其具有高度多孔且相互连通的结构。使用果胶（PECT）作为载体将人羊膜间充质基质细胞（hAMSCs）加载到支架中。在兔股骨内侧髁制造骨软骨缺损，并将其随机分配到以下组之一：普通支架（PU/VAC）、在植入部位注射hAMSCs的支架（PU/VAC/hAMSC）、负载有hAMSCs的果胶支架（PU/VAC/PECT/hAMSC）以及未治疗的缺损（未处理）。在3、6、12和24周时通过宏观、组织学、组织形态计量学、显微断层扫描和超微结构分析评估治疗效果。组织学结果表明，该支架有利于组织生长和穿透，在实验早期观察到未成熟的骨软骨组织，与软骨层相比，骨再生更为明显，且无任何炎症反应。
