Evaluation of Collagen Gel-Associated Human Nasal Septum-Derived Chondrocytes As a Clinically Applicable Injectable Therapeutic Agent for Cartilage Repair.

Abstract

Articular cartilage injury has a poor repair ability and limited regeneration capacity with therapy based on articular chondrocytes (ACs) implantation. Here, we validated the hypothesis that human nasal septum-derived chondrocytes (hNCs) are potent therapeutic agents for clinical use in cartilage tissue engineering using an injectable hydrogel, type I collagen (COL1). We manufactured hNCs incorporated in clinical-grade soluble COL1 and investigated their clinical potential as agents in an articular defect model. The hNCs encapsulated in COL1 (hNC-collagen) were uniformly distributed throughout the collagen and showed much greater growth rate than hACs encapsulated in collagen for the 14days of culture. Fluorescent staining of hNC-collagen showed high expression levels of chondrocyte-specific proteins under clinical conditions. Moreover, a negative mycoplasma screening result were obtained in culture of hNC-collagen. Notably, implantation of hNC-collagen increased the repair of osteochondral defects in rats compared with implantation of collagen only. Many human cells were detected within the cartilage defects. These results provide reliable evidences supporting for clinical applications of hNC-collagen in regenerative medicine for cartilage repair.