1
|
Ruscitto A, Chen P, Tosa I, Wang Z, Zhou G, Safina I, Wei R, Morel MM, Koch A, Forman M, Reeve G, Lecholop MK, Wilson M, Bonthius D, Chen M, Ono M, Wang TC, Yao H, Embree MC. Lgr5-expressing secretory cells form a Wnt inhibitory niche in cartilage critical for chondrocyte identity. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:1179-1198.e7. [PMID: 37683603 PMCID: PMC10790417 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes pain, degradation, and dysfunction. Excessive canonical Wnt signaling in osteoarthritis contributes to chondrocyte phenotypic instability and loss of cartilage homeostasis; however, the regulatory niche is unknown. Using the temporomandibular joint as a model in multiple species, we identify Lgr5-expressing secretory cells as forming a Wnt inhibitory niche that instruct Wnt-inactive chondroprogenitors to form the nascent synovial joint and regulate chondrocyte lineage and identity. Lgr5 ablation or suppression during joint development, aging, or osteoarthritis results in depletion of Wnt-inactive chondroprogenitors and a surge of Wnt-activated, phenotypically unstable chondrocytes with osteoblast-like properties. We recapitulate the cartilage niche and create StemJEL, an injectable hydrogel therapy combining hyaluronic acid and sclerostin. Local delivery of StemJEL to post-traumatic osteoarthritic jaw and knee joints in rabbit, rat, and mini-pig models restores cartilage homeostasis, chondrocyte identity, and joint function. We provide proof of principal that StemJEL preserves the chondrocyte niche and alleviates osteoarthritis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Ruscitto
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Peng Chen
- Clemson University-Medical University of South Carolina Joint Bioengineering Program, Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA; Department of Oral Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Ikue Tosa
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ziyi Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 7008525, Japan
| | - Gan Zhou
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ingrid Safina
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ran Wei
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Mallory M Morel
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alia Koch
- Section of Hospital Dentistry, Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Michael Forman
- Section of Hospital Dentistry, Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gwendolyn Reeve
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michael K Lecholop
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Marshall Wilson
- Clemson University-Medical University of South Carolina Joint Bioengineering Program, Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA; Department of Oral Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Daniel Bonthius
- Clemson University-Medical University of South Carolina Joint Bioengineering Program, Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA; Department of Oral Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Mo Chen
- Wnt Scientific, LLC, Harlem Biospace, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Mitsuaki Ono
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 7008525, Japan; Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Implantology, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama 7008525, Japan
| | - Timothy C Wang
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hai Yao
- Clemson University-Medical University of South Carolina Joint Bioengineering Program, Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA; Department of Oral Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Mildred C Embree
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Section of Growth and Development, Division of Orthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ruscitto A, Morel MM, Shawber CJ, Reeve G, Lecholop MK, Bonthius D, Yao H, Embree MC. Evidence of vasculature and chondrocyte to osteoblast transdifferentiation in craniofacial synovial joints: Implications for osteoarthritis diagnosis and therapy. FASEB J 2020; 34:4445-4461. [PMID: 32030828 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902287r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) leads to permanent cartilage destruction, jaw dysfunction, and compromises the quality of life. However, the pathological mechanisms governing TMJ OA are poorly understood. Unlike appendicular articular cartilage, the TMJ has two distinct functions as the synovial joint of the craniofacial complex and also as the site for endochondral jaw bone growth. The established dogma of endochondral bone ossification is that hypertrophic chondrocytes undergo apoptosis, while invading vasculature with osteoprogenitors replace cartilage with bone. However, contemporary murine genetic studies support the direct differentiation of chondrocytes into osteoblasts and osteocytes in the TMJ. Here we sought to characterize putative vasculature and cartilage to bone transdifferentiation using healthy and diseased TMJ tissues from miniature pigs and humans. During endochondral ossification, the presence of fully formed vasculature expressing CD31+ endothelial cells and α-SMA+ vascular smooth muscle cells were detected within all cellular zones in growing miniature pigs. Arterial, endothelial, venous, angiogenic, and mural cell markers were significantly upregulated in miniature pig TMJ tissues relative to donor matched knee meniscus fibrocartilage tissue. Upon surgically creating TMJ OA in miniature pigs, we discovered increased vasculature and putative chondrocyte to osteoblast transformation dually marked by COL2 and BSP or RUNX2 within the vascular bundles. Pathological human TMJ tissues also exhibited increased vasculature, while isolated diseased human TMJ cells exhibited marked increased in vasculature markers relative to control 293T cells. Our study provides evidence to suggest that the TMJ in higher order species are in fact vascularized. There have been no reports of cartilage to bone transdifferentiation or vasculature in human-relevant TMJ OA large animal models or in human TMJ tissues and cells. Therefore, these findings may potentially alter the clinical management of TMJ OA by defining new drugs that target angiogenesis or block the cartilage to bone transformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Ruscitto
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mallory M Morel
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carrie J Shawber
- Department of OB/GYN, Division of Reproductive Sciences, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gwendolyn Reeve
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael K Lecholop
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Daniel Bonthius
- Clemson-MUSC Bioengineering Program, Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Greenville, SC, USA
| | - Hai Yao
- Clemson-MUSC Bioengineering Program, Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Greenville, SC, USA.,Department of Oral Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Mildred C Embree
- Cartilage Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|