Human Diseased Articular Cartilage Contains a Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Like Population of Chondroprogenitors with Strong Immunomodulatory Responses.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

osteoarthritic human articular cartilage (AC)-derived cartilage cells (CCs) with same-donor bone marrow (BMSCs) and adipose tissue (ASCs)-derived mesenchymal stem cells were compared, in terms of stemness features, and secretory and immunomodulatory responses to inflammation. proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) presence was evaluated in AC and CCs. MSCs and CCs ( n = 8) were cultured (P1 to P4) and characterized for clonogenicity, nanog homeobox ( NANOG ), and POU class 5 homeobox 1 ( POU5F1 ) expression, immunotypification, and tri-lineage differentiation. Their basal and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-stimulated expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors (TIMPs), release of growth factors, and cytokines were analyzed, along with the immunomodulatory ability of CCs. PRG4 was mainly expressed in the intact AC surface, whereas shifted to the intermediate zone in damaged cartilage and increased its expression in CCs upon culture. All cells exhibited a similar phenotype and stemness maintenance over passages. CCs showed highest chondrogenic ability, no adipogenic potential, a superior basal secretion of growth factors and cytokines, the latter further increased after inflammatory stimulation, and an immunomodulatory behavior. All stimulated cells shared an increased MMP expression without a corresponding TIMP production. based on the observed features, CCs obtained from pathologica

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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