Effect of Cross‐Linked Hyaluronate Scaffold on Cartilage Repair: An In Vivo Study

Abstract

Objective To determine the safety and effectiveness of a cross‐linked sodium hyaluronate (CHA) scaffold in cartilage repair. Methods Physicochemical properties of the scaffold were determined. The safety and effectiveness of the scaffold for cartilage repair were evaluated in a minipig model of a full‐thickness cartilage defect with microfracture surgery. Postoperative observation and hematological examination were used to evaluate the safety of the CHA scaffold implantation. Pathological examination as well as biomechanical testing, including Young's modulus, stress relaxation time, and creep time, were conducted at 6 and 12 months postsurgery to assess the effectiveness of the scaffold for cartilage repair. Furthermore, type II collagen and glycosaminoglycan content were determined to confirm the influence of the scaffold in the damaged cartilage tissue. Results The results showed that the routine hematological indexes of the experimental animals were within the normal physiological ranges, which confirmed the safety of CHA scaffold implantation. Based on macroscopic observation, it was evident that repair of the defective cartilage in the animal knee joint began during the 6 months postoperation and was gradually enhanced from the central to the surrounding region. The repair smoothness and color of the 12‐month cartilage samples from the operation area were better than those of the 6‐month samples, and the results for the CHA scaffold implantation group were better than the control group. Greater cell degeneration and degeneration of the adjacent cartilage was found in the implantation group compared with the control group at both 6 and 12 months postoperation, evaluated by O'Driscoll Articular Cartilage Histology Scoring. Implantation with the CHA scaffold matrix promoted cartilage repair and improved its compression capacity. The type II collagen level in the CHA scaffold implantation group tended to be higher than that in the control group at 6 months (2.33 ± 1.50 vs 1.68 ± 0.56) and 12 months postsurgery (3.37 ± 1.70 vs 2.06 ± 0.63). The GAG content in the cartilage of the control group was significantly lower than that of the experimental group (2.17 ± 0.43 vs 3.64 ± 1.17, P = 0.002 at 6 months and 2.27 ± 0.38 vs 4.12 ± 1.02, P = 0.002 at 12 months). Type II collagen and glycosaminoglycan content also demonstrated that CHA was beneficial for the accumulation of both these vital substances in the cartilage tissue. Conclusions The CHA scaffold displayed the ability to promote cartilage repair when applied in microfracture surgery, which makes it a promising material for application in the area of cartilage tissue engineering.

Decellularization of cartilage microparticles: Effects of temperature, supercritical carbon dioxide and ultrasound on biochemical, mechanical, and biological properties

“…The CECs will either be press‐fitted into the cartilage defects without any additional fixation or fixation will be performed using a thin layer of fibrin glue. The CECs will either be press‐fitted into the cartilage defects without any additional fixation 57,58 or fixation will be performed using a thin layer of fibrin glue 59,60 . Additionally, it is possible to improve the quality of a cartilaginous CEC using culturing in a bioreactor and low‐oxygen conditions for a more precise reproduction of stimuli that ensure cell viability in a body 61–63 …”

The enhancement of cartilage regeneration by use of a chitosan-based scaffold in a 3D model of microfracture in vitro: a pilot evaluation

“…Most of those studies have been conducted as clinical trials [ 16 , 22 ], giving us the objective measures such as histology and clinical scores, which naturally is of greatest interest. Numerous animal studies have been conducted as well, prior to the use of these scaffolds in humans [ 12 , 32 ], providing us with the histology of the repaired tissue when using different scaffolds or without them [ 12 , 32 ]. However, the studies on the basic level, preceding both animal models and clinical trials are not abundant and the authors of this article have failed to find them in the literature.…”

HPLC-UV Method Validation for Amobarbital and Pharmaceutical Stability Evaluation When Dispersed in a Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel: A New Concept for Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis Prevention

“…13,14 HA is a glycosaminoglycan and essential component of the ECM synthesized by chondrocytes, fibroblasts, and type B synovial cells and discharged into the synovial fluid. 7,14,27 HA is an essential substrate for chondrocyte growth, metabolism, and maintenance of the chondrocyte phenotype and promotes ECM formation. 27 Yoshioka et al showed that the crosslinked HA hydrogel, Gel-One Ò , remained at the intra-articular injection site in a rat model for 91 days after administration, 28 demonstrating its effectiveness as a depot style drug delivery vehicle.…”