Mobilization of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells into the injured tissues after intraarticular injection and their contribution to tissue regeneration

• DOI: 10.1007/s00167-006-0124-8
• Publication Date: 2006-06-19T14:57:28Z
• Authors: Muhammad Agung; Mitsuo Ochi; Shinobu Yanada; Nobuo Adachi; Yasunori Izuta; Takuma Yamasaki; Katsuhiro Toda
• Keywords: Cartilage, Articular; Male; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; Menisci, Tibial; Injections, Intra-Articular; Rats; Tibial Meniscus Injuries; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Animals; Regeneration; Anterior Cruciate Ligament

AbstractThe purpose of present study was to evaluate active mobilization effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into injured tissues after intraarticular injection of MSCs, and to evaluate their contribution to tissue regeneration. MSCs, which were obtained from green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic Sprague–Dawley (SD) rat and cultivated, were injected into normal SD rats in which multiple tissues had been injured including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial meniscus, and articular cartilage of the femoral condyles. At 4 weeks after injection of MSCs, fluorescent microscopic observation, immunohistochemical or histological examinations were performed to evaluate mobilization of MSCs into injured tissue and their contribution to tissue regeneration. In the group of 1 × 106 MSCs injection, GFP positive cells could mobilize into the injured ACL alone in all 8 knees. In the group of 1 × 107 MSCs injection, GFP positive cells were observed in the injured site of ACL in all 8 knees and in the injured site of medial meniscus and cartilage of femoral condyles in 6 of 8 knees. More interestingly, extracellular matrix stained by toluidine blue was present around GFP positive cells in the injured femoral condyles cartilage and medial meniscus, indicating tissue regeneration. Intraarticularly injected MSCs could mobilize into the injured tissues, and probably contributed to tissue regeneration. This study demonstrated the possibility of intraarticular injection of MSCs for the treatment of intraarticular tissue injuries including ACL, meniscus, or cartilage. If this treatment option is established, it can be minimally invasive compared to conventional surgeries for these tissues.