Multi-compositional MRI evaluation of repair cartilage in knee osteoarthritis with treatment of allogeneic human adipose-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells

Xinxin Zhao,Jia Li,Meng Li,Jingjing Ruan,Yingxuan Shi,Suke Li,Qing Lu,Chengxiang Dai,Cuili Xu,Hui Tang

doi:10.1186/s13287-019-1406-7

Abstract

BackgroundWe used multimodal compositional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, combined with clinical outcomes, to differentiate the alternations of composition in repair cartilage with allogeneic human adipose-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (haMPCs) in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients.MethodsEighteen patients participated a phase I/IIa clinical trial. All patients were divided randomly into three groups with intra-articular injections of haMPCs: the low-dose (1.0 × 107 cells), mid-dose (2.0 × 107), and high-dose (5.0 × 107) groups with six patients each. Compositional MRI examinations and clinical evaluations were performed at different time points.ResultsSignificant differences were observed in quantitative T1rho, T2, T2star, R2star, and ADC measurements in patients of three dose groups, suggesting a possible compositional changes of cartilage with the treatment of allogeneic haMPCs. Also significant reduction in WOMAC and SF-36 scores showed the symptoms might be alleviated to some extent with this new treatment. As regards sensibilities of multi-parametric mappings to detect compositional or structural changes of cartilage, T1rho mapping was most sensitive to differentiate difference between three dose groups.ConclusionsThese results showed that multi-compositional MRI sequences might be an effective tool to evaluate the promotion of the repair of cartilage with allogeneic haMPCs by providing information of compositional alterations of cartilage.Trial registrationClinicaltrials, NCT02641860. Registered 3 December 2015.

Highlights

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is characterized mainly by arthralgia, stiffness, loss of mobility with occasional effusion, and variable degrees of local inflammation [1, 2].As one of the most prevalent chronic degenerative diseases, knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is associated with the progressive degradation of articular cartilage, meniscus, synovium, ligaments, bone, muscles, and tendons [3, 4]
As one of the most prevalent chronic degenerative diseases, KOA is associated with the progressive degradation of articular cartilage, meniscus, synovium, ligaments, bone, muscles, and tendons [3, 4]
All patients received an intra-articular injection of allogeneic human adipose-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (haMPCs) at the base time and were followed up at 48 weeks

Summary

Introduction

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is characterized mainly by arthralgia, stiffness, loss of mobility with occasional effusion, and variable degrees of local inflammation [1, 2].As one of the most prevalent chronic degenerative diseases, KOA is associated with the progressive degradation of articular cartilage, meniscus, synovium, ligaments, bone, muscles, and tendons [3, 4]. The available therapies of KOA are pharmacologic [5], non-pharmacologic [6], and even knee replacement for severe osteoarthritis [7]. These traditional treatments demonstrate only relieve symptoms [8, 9], whereas they cannot reverse the pathological process or regenerate articular cartilage [10]. We used multimodal compositional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, combined with clinical outcomes, to differentiate the alternations of composition in repair cartilage with allogeneic human adipose-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (haMPCs) in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients

Objectives

Methods

Results