Osteogenic Effects of Dedifferentiated Fat Cell Transplantation in Rabbit Models of Bone Defect and Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis

Abstract

We have previously reported that mature adipocyte-derived dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells have a high proliferative activity and the potential to differentiate into lineages of mesenchymal tissue similar to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In the present study, we examined the effects of autologous DFAT cell transplantation on bone regeneration in a rabbit bone defect model and an ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis model. The formation of tissue-engineered bone (TEB) was observed when rabbit DFAT cells were loaded onto a β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP)/collagen sponge and cultured in an osteogenic differentiation medium for 3 weeks. Autologous implantation of DFAT cell-mediated TEB constructs promoted bone regeneration in a rabbit tibial defect model. Regenerated bone tissue induced by transplantation of DFAT cell-mediated TEB constructs was histologically well differentiated and exhibited higher bone strength in a three-point bending test compared to that induced by the β-TCP/collagen sponge alone. In OVX-induced osteoporosis model rabbits, DFAT cells were obtained with the osteogenic activity similar to cells from healthy rabbits. Intrabone marrow injection of autologous DFAT cells significantly increased the bone mineral density (BMD) at the injected site in the OVX rabbits. Transplanted DFAT cells remained mainly on the injection side of the bone marrow by at least 28 days after intrabone marrow injection and a part of them expressed osteocalcin. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that autologous implantation of DFAT cells contributed to bone regeneration in a rabbit bone defect model and an OVX-induced osteoporosis model. DFAT cells may be an attractive cell source for cell-based bone tissue engineering to treat nonunion fractures in all patients, including those with osteoporosis.