Morphological and Molecular Evaluation of the Tissue Repair following Nasal Septum Biopsy in a Sheep Model

Abstract

Objective Nasal septal pathologies requiring surgical intervention are common in the population. Additionally, nasal chondrocytes are becoming an important cell source in cartilage tissue engineering strategies for the repair of articular cartilage lesions. These procedures damage the nasal septal cartilage whose healing potential is limited due to its avascular, aneural, and alymphatic nature. Despite the high incidence of various surgical interventions that affect septum cartilage, limited nasal cartilage repair characterizations have been performed to date. Methods To evaluate the healing of the nasal septum cartilage perforation, a septal biopsy was performed in 14 sheep. Two and 6 months later, the tissue formed on the place of perforation was explanted and compared with the native tissue. Tissue morphology, protein and gene expression of explanted tissue was determined using histological, immunohistochemical and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results Tissue formed on the defect site, 2 and 6 months after the biopsy was characterized as mostly connective tissue with the presence of fibroblastic cells. This newly formed tissue contained no glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II but was positively stained for collagen type I. Cartilage-specific genes COL2, AGG, and COMP were significantly decreased in 2- and 6-month samples compared with the native nasal cartilage. Levels of COL1, COL4, and CRABP1 genes specific for perichondrium and connective tissue were higher in both test group samples in comparison with native cartilage. Conclusions Newly formed tissue was not cartilage but rather fibrous tissue suggesting the role of perichondrium and mucosa in tissue repair after nasal septum injury.

LncRNA SNHG1 enhances cartilage regeneration by modulating chondrogenic differentiation and angiogenesis potentials of JBMMSCs via mitochondrial function regulation

“…Human activities are inseparable from joint movement, and articular cartilage plays a role in relieving stress and lubricating joints. Once the cartilage is damaged or degenerated [ 1 , 2 ], it is difficult to repair itself, because the main components of articular cartilage are collagen fibers and proteoglycans in addition to water, which lack a blood supply and cells cannot migrate to the defect site [ 3 ]. At present, the surgical treatment of cartilage defects mainly involves the direct use of growth factors, autologous transplantation, or allogeneic transplantation [ 4 ], but there are several problems, such as limited donor sites and immune responses [ 5 ].…”

Hydrogel composite scaffolds achieve recruitment and chondrogenesis in cartilage tissue engineering applications

“…Articular cartilage defects are common and often lead to gradual tissue degradation, joint pain, dysfunction and degenerative arthritis [1,2]. However, as articular cartilage is avascular and aneural tissue with poor inherent repair ability, its regeneration is one of the most challenging clinical problems surgeons and scientists face [3,4]. Cell-based tissue engineering techniques that promote cartilage self-repair with stem cell manipulation techniques, biological scaffolds, and biological factors have been extensively studied to address this challenge [5].…”

Properties of the Nasal Cartilage, from Development to Adulthood: A Scoping Review

“… 11 Several studies have demonstrated that nasal cartilage can serve as a source to replace lost hyaline cartilage in joints. 2 - 6 There is an unmet clinical need to be able to engineer hyaline cartilage that is functionally stable and able to respond to local requirements, such as mechanical compression, lubrication, ability to withstand inflammatory signals. A comprehensive literature review addressing those topics in relation to tissue engineering of the nasal cartilage was recently published 11 and thus they will not be further considered here.…”

“…1 The thickest part of the NSC is the area connected to the vomer and PPE, which has clinical implications during reconstructive surgery and tissue engineering. [1][2][3][4][5][6] NSC is avascular, devoid of neural and lymphatic supply, and is surrounded by perichondrium and respiratory epithelium. According to its location, it articulates with the frontal bone, nasal bone, cribriform plate, sphenoid bone, maxillary crest, vomer, and palatine bone.…”