SVF
Level D· Preclinical EvidenceAnimal Study

In vivo efficacy of an injectable piezoelectric nanocomposite hydrogel and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in two preclinical models of osteoarthritis.

Tschon M., Codispoti G., Cabras P., Cafarelli A., Trucco D., Vannozzi L.

Animal Study on Knee Osteoarthritis, Osteoarthritis, Cartilage Damage, published in Biomaterials (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
Biomaterials (2026)
Country
Netherlands
Reported sample size
—
PMID
40997714
DOI
10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123728

Abstract (original English)

Smart hydrogels embedding mesenchymal stromal cells are receiving increasing attention as a potential solution for preventing articular cartilage degeneration in knee osteoarthritis (OA). In this work we demonstrate that an injectable piezoelectric hydrogel embedding autologous adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs), stimulated by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), is effective in reducing knee OA in two preclinical surgically induced OA models. A medium-sized rabbit model was used to evaluate sex differences in treatment efficacy, while a large-sized sheep model was employed to assess the translatability of this innovative approach to a scenario with similarities to human conditions. We developed computational models to ensure reliable and precise delivery of a specific ultrasound dose to the target, modelling wave propagation through tissues and considering the anatomy of the two experimental animal models. Sex-based differences in therapy effectiveness were observed in rabbits, with better macroscopic and microscopic outcomes in counteracting OA in female animals. Furthermore, we found that the combination of ASC-laden piezoelectric hydrogel and LIPUS can be scaled in a large-sized sheep model, proving effective in counteracting OA.

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
AnimalsRabbitsFemaleSheepMaleDisease Models, AnimalHydrogelsNanocompositesOsteoarthritisUltrasonic Waves
KneeKnee OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritisCartilage Damage
View on PubMedDOI

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