Abstract
Background: Fatty infiltration, inflammation, and apoptosis are common degenerative changes in patients with chronic rotator cuff tears that can lead to muscle atrophy and can even result in massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. Some data have demonstrated the proregenerative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties of stem cell–derived exosomes in some orthopaedic disorders, but their effect on torn rotator cuff muscles has never been investigated. Purpose: To study the effect of exosomes isolated from human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs-Exos) on muscle degeneration, regeneration, and biomechanical properties in a rat model of a massive rotator cuff tear (MRCT). Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A bilateral supraspinatus and infraspinatus tenotomy was performed on rats to create an MRCT model. Forty-two rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: the sham surgery group, the saline group (lesions treated with a saline injection), and the ASCs-Exos group (lesions treated with an ASCs-Exos injection). Wet muscle weight, fatty infiltration, inflammation, vascularization, regeneration, and biomechanical properties were evaluated at 8 and 16 weeks after surgery. Results: The results revealed that the ASCs-Exos treatment could prevent the atrophy, fatty infiltration, inflammation, and vascularization of muscles in the MRCT model (P < .001). Additionally, the myofiber regeneration and biomechanical properties of ASCs-Exos-treated rotator cuffs were significantly elevated compared with those in the saline-treated group (P < .001). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that ASCs-Exos can effectively decrease atrophy and degeneration and improve muscle regeneration and biomechanical properties in torn rotator cuff muscles. Clinical Relevance: ASCs-Exos can be used as a new cell-free approach to prevent the muscle degeneration associated with torn rotator cuffs and may be helpful to repair torn rotator cuffs. Nevertheless, further work needs to be done in a large animal model owing to the inherent regenerative potential possessed by rodents.
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