Sex Differences in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy With Gelatin-Based Microribbon Hydrogels in a Murine Long Bone Critical-Size Defect Model

• DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.755964
• Publication Date: 2021-10-20T21:36:18Z
• Authors: Masaya Ueno; Ning Zhang; Hirohito Hirata; Danial Barati; Takeshi Utsunomiya; Huaishuang Shen; Tzuhua Lin; Masahiro Maruyama; Ejun Huang; Zhenyu Yao; Joy Y. Wu; Stefan Zwingenberger; Fan Yang; Stuart B. Goodman
• Keywords: Gelatin

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy and novel biomaterials are promising strategies for healing of long bone critical size defects. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) over-expressing MSCs within a gelatin microribbon (µRB) scaffold was previously shown to enhance the bridging femoral defect in male Balb/c mice. Whether sex differences affect this conjunction with different treatments is unknown. In study, we generated 2-mm critical-sized diaphyseal defects 10-12-week-old female Scaffolds without cells unmodified were implanted immediately after primary surgery that created defect; scaffolds IL-4 3 days surgery, avoid adverse effects on initial inflammatory phase fracture healing. Mice euthanized 6 weeks femurs collected. MicroCT (µCT), histochemical immunohistochemical analyses subsequently performed site. µRB enhanced both Male mice showed higher measures increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) positive areas, total macrophages M2 compared receiving MSCs. Female Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase (TRAP) osteoclast numbers These results demonstrated should be considered during application MSC-based studies