Level D· Preclinical EvidenceAnimal Study

Transforming Myofibroblasts Into Lipid-Filled Cells to Treat Dupuytren Disease.

Ziegler ME., Lem M., Melkonian J., Nasrollahi T., Rahimian H., Shams A.

Animal Study, published in J Hand Surg Am (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Animal Study
Journal
J Hand Surg Am (2026)
Country
United States
Reported sample size
PMID
40232216
DOI
10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.03.005

Abstract (original English)

Transforming myofibroblasts (MFs) into adipocyte-like cells may be a viable option for treating Dupuytren disease. Human Dupuytren MFs (DMFs) and adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) cocultured in the presence of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) reprogrammed into lipid-laden cells. This treatment also reduced fibrosis markers in vivo. We aimed to determine whether this treatment transformed DMFs into adipocyte-like cells in vivo and characterize the PRP factors contributing to this transformation. Dupuytren MFs and normal human dermal fibroblasts were transplanted into the forepaws of rats (Rowett Nude [rnu/rnu]). Two months later, the paws were treated with saline, ASCs + PRP, or Clostridium histolyticum (clinical comparison) once a week for three treatments. The paw tissue was harvested 1 week after each treatment and subjected to Masson trichrome staining, collagen I and III, α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), and perilipin detection by immunohistochemistry. Dupuytren MFs were cocultured with ASCs and PRP or insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) or IGF-I-depleted PRP. In addition, the IGF-I receptor was inhibited. Oil Red O or boron-dipyrromethene detected lipid-laden cells. Rodent paws implanted with DMFs showed enhanced α-SMA expression, imbalanced collagen III:I ratio, and reduced adipocytes compared with normal human dermal fibroblasts. After treatment with ASCs + PRP, DMF paws demonstr

What this study does not prove

  • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
  • This is preclinical work; animal or laboratory results cannot be applied to humans.

Evidence level

Evidence comes from animal or laboratory studies and has not been confirmed in humans.

How we grade evidence
Dupuytren ContractureMyofibroblastsHumansAnimalsPlatelet-Rich PlasmaRatsRats, NudeAdipocytesCoculture TechniquesAdipose Tissue