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Burkey K, Castillo K, Elrod P, Suekuni MT, Aikman E, Gehrke S, Allgeier A, Robinson JL. Modulating pentenoate-functionalized hyaluronic acid hydrogel network properties for meniscal fibrochondrocyte mechanotransduction. J Biomed Mater Res A 2023; 111:1525-1537. [PMID: 37103006 PMCID: PMC10524304 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.37551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Knee meniscus tears are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries. While meniscus replacements using allografts or biomaterial-based scaffolds are available, these treatments rarely result in integrated, functional tissue. Understanding mechanotransducive signaling cues that promote a meniscal cell regenerative phenotype is critical to developing therapies that promote tissue regeneration rather than fibrosis after injury. The purpose of this study was to develop a hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel system with tunable crosslinked network properties by modulating the degree of substitution (DoS) of reactive-ene groups to investigate mechanotransducive cues received by meniscal fibrochondrocytes (MFCs) from their microenvironment. A thiol-ene step-growth polymerization crosslinking mechanism was employed using pentenoate-functionalized hyaluronic acid (PHA) and dithiothreitol to achieve tunability of the chemical crosslinks and resulting network properties. Increased crosslink density, reduced swelling, and increased compressive modulus (60-1020 kPa) were observed with increasing DoS. Osmotic deswelling effects were apparent in PBS and DMEM+ compared to water; swelling ratios and compressive moduli were decreased in the ionic buffers. Frequency sweep studies showed storage and loss moduli of hydrogels at 1 Hz approach reported meniscus values and showed increasing viscous response with increasing DoS. The degradation rate increased with decreasing DoS. Lastly, modulating PHA hydrogel surface modulus resulted in control of MFC morphology, suggesting relatively soft hydrogels (E = 60 ± 35 kPa) promote more inner meniscus phenotype compared to rigid hydrogels (E = 610 ± 66 kPa). Overall, these results highlight the use of -ene DoS modulation in PHA hydrogels to tune crosslink density and physical properties to understand mechanotransduction mechanisms required to promote meniscus regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyley Burkey
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas
| | - Kayla Castillo
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas
| | - Philip Elrod
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas
| | - Murilo T. Suekuni
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas
| | - Elizabeth Aikman
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas
| | - Stevin Gehrke
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas
| | - Alan Allgeier
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas
| | - Jennifer L. Robinson
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas
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Li L, Wang P, Jin J, Xie C, Xue B, Lai J, Zhu L, Jiang Q. The triply periodic minimal surface-based 3D printed engineering scaffold for meniscus function reconstruction. Biomater Res 2022; 26:45. [PMID: 36115984 PMCID: PMC9482755 DOI: 10.1186/s40824-022-00293-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The meniscus injury is a common disease in the area of sports medicine. The main treatment for this disease is the pain relief, rather than the meniscal function recovery. It may lead to a poor prognosis and accelerate the progression of osteoarthritis. In this study, we designed a meniscal scaffold to achieve the purposes of meniscal function recovery and cartilage protection.
Methods
The meniscal scaffold was designed using the triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) method. The scaffold was simulated as a three-dimensional (3D) intact knee model using a finite element analysis software to obtain the results of different mechanical tests. The mechanical properties were gained through the universal machine. Finally, an in vivo model was established to evaluate the effects of the TPMS-based meniscal scaffold on the cartilage protection. The radiography and histological examinations were performed to assess the cartilage and bony structures. Different regions of the regenerated meniscus were tested using the universal machine to assess the biomechanical functions.
Results
The TPMS-based meniscal scaffold with a larger volume fraction and a longer functional periodicity demonstrated a better mechanical performance, and the load transmission and stress distribution were closer to the native biomechanical environment. The radiographic images and histological results of the TPMS group exhibited a better performance in terms of cartilage protection than the grid group. The regenerated meniscus in the TPMS group also had similar mechanical properties to the native meniscus.
Conclusion
The TPMS method can affect the mechanical properties by adjusting the volume fraction and functional periodicity. The TPMS-based meniscal scaffold showed appropriate features for meniscal regeneration and cartilage protection.
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Ma Z, Li DX, Kunze M, Mulet-Sierra A, Westover L, Adesida AB. Engineered Human Meniscus in Modeling Sex Differences of Knee Osteoarthritis in Vitro. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:823679. [PMID: 35284415 PMCID: PMC8904202 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.823679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) primarily affects mechanical load-bearing joints. The knee joint is the most impacted by OA. Knee OA (KOA) occurs in almost all demographic groups, but the prevalence and severity are disproportionately higher in females. The molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis and progression of KOA is unknown. The molecular basis of biological sex matters of KOA is not fully understood. Mechanical stimulation plays a vital role in modulating OA-related responses of load-bearing tissues. Mechanical unloading by simulated microgravity (SMG) induced OA-like gene expression in engineered cartilage, while mechanical loading by cyclic hydrostatic pressure (CHP), on the other hand, exerted a pro-chondrogenic effect. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of mechanical loading and unloading via CHP and SMG, respectively, on the OA-related profile changes of engineered meniscus tissues and explore biological sex-related differences.Methods: Tissue-engineered menisci were made from female and male meniscus fibrochondrocytes (MFCs) under static conditions of normal gravity in chondrogenic media and subjected to SMG and CHP culture. Constructs were assayed via histology, immunofluorescence, GAG/DNA assays, RNA sequencing, and testing of mechanical properties.Results: The mRNA expression of ACAN and COL2A1, was upregulated by CHP but downregulated by SMG. COL10A1, a marker for chondrocyte hypertrophy, was downregulated by CHP compared to SMG. Furthermore, CHP increased GAG/DNA levels and wet weight in both female and male donors, but only significantly in females. From the transcriptomics, CHP and SMG significantly modulated genes related to the ossification, regulation of ossification, extracellular matrix, and angiogenesis Gene Ontology (GO) terms. A clear difference in fold-change magnitude and direction was seen between the two treatments for many of the genes. Furthermore, differences in fold-change magnitudes were seen between male and female donors within each treatment. SMG and CHP also significantly modulated genes in OA-related KEGG pathways, such as mineral absorption, Wnt signalling pathway, and HIF-1 signalling pathway.Conclusion: Engineered menisci responded to CHP and SMG in a sex-dependent manner. SMG may induce an OA-like profile, while CHP promotes chondrogenesis. The combination of SMG and CHP could serve as a model to study the early molecular events of KOA and potential drug-targetable pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyao Ma
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery, Surgical Research and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David Xinzheyang Li
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery, Surgical Research and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Melanie Kunze
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery, Surgical Research and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Aillette Mulet-Sierra
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery, Surgical Research and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Lindsey Westover
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Adetola B. Adesida
- Department of Surgery, Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery, Surgical Research and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Adetola B. Adesida,
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