The potential of using semitendinosus tendon as autograft in rabbit meniscus reconstruction

Chenxi Li,Mingjin Zhong,Xin Fu,Xiaoning Duan,Jingxian Zhu,Qingyang Meng,Xiaoqing Hu,Linghui Dai,Jin Cheng,Jiying Zhang,Yingfang Ao,Weili Shi,Xin Zhang,Bo Ren

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07166-z

Chenxi Li, Mingjin Zhong + Show 12 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07166-z

Copy DOI

Abstract

Since transplantation of meniscal allograft or artificial menisci is limited by graft sources and a series of adverse events, substitution for meniscus reconstruction still needs to be explored. Natural biomaterials, which can provide a unique 3-D microenvironment, remain a promising alternative for tissue engineering. Among them, autograft is a preferred option for its safety and excellent biocompatibility. In this study, we utilized semitendinosus tendon autograft in meniscus reconstruction to investigate its fibrochondrogenic metaplasticity potential and chondroprotective effect. Tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) and synovial-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs), two most important stem cell sources in our strategy, exhibited excellent viability, distribution, proliferation and fibrochondrogenic differentiation ability in decellularized semitendinosus tendon (DST) scaffolds in vitro. Histologic evaluation of the tendon grafts in vivo suggested endogenous stem cells differentiated into fibrochondrocytes, synthesized proteoglycan, type II collagen and radial type I collagen at 12 weeks and 24 weeks post-surgery. As for elastic modulus and hardness of the grafts, there were no significant differences between native meniscus and regenerated meniscus at 24 weeks. The protection of condylar cartilage from degeneration was significantly better in the reconstruction group comparing to control group. Overall, semitendinosus tendon autograft seems to be a promising substitution in meniscus reconstruction.

Highlights

Since transplantation of meniscal allograft or artificial menisci is limited by graft sources and a series of adverse events, substitution for meniscus reconstruction still needs to be explored
These results indicated that decellularized semitendinosus tendon (DST) we produced were cell-free, possessed similar extracellular matrix components with complicated three-dimensional microstructure and similar physical-mechanical characteristics with natural tendon tissue, which could successfully mimic the microenvironment of tendon grafts in vivo
We confirmed that DSTs were capable to support cellular viability, distribution, proliferation and fibro-chondrogenic differentiation of both Tendonderived stem cells (TDSCs) and synovial-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs) in vitro

Summary

Introduction

Since transplantation of meniscal allograft or artificial menisci is limited by graft sources and a series of adverse events, substitution for meniscus reconstruction still needs to be explored. We utilized semitendinosus tendon autograft in meniscus reconstruction to investigate its fibrochondrogenic metaplasticity potential and chondroprotective effect. We transplanted a fresh semitendinosus tendon autografts in a rabbit model of total medial meniscectomy to investigate fibrochondrogenic metaplasticity potential and chondroprotective effect of the graft. Asai et al.[29] demonstrated that TDSCs showed connective tissue progenitor properties and exhibited stronger chondrogenic ability than bone marrow stromal cells even in the absence of cytokines These findings indicate that TDSCs in semitendinosus tendon are potential cell sources for meniscus regeneration in vivo. We produced decellularized semitendinosus tendon (DST) scaffolds with natural nanofibrous structures to mimic the microenvironment of tendon grafts, and evaluated the cell viability, proliferation, morphology and fibrochondrogenic differentiation capacities of SMSCs and semitendinosus TDSCs in DST scaffolds in vitro

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion