Poly(gamma-Glutamic Acid) as an Exogenous Promoter of Chondrogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Antunes, JC (Author) Other; Tsaryk, R (Author) Other; Goncalves, RM (Author) ICBAS; Pereira, CL (Author) Other; Landes, C (Author) Other; Brochhausen, C (Author) Other; Ghanaati, S (Author) Other; Barbosa, MA (Author) Other; Kirkpatrick, CJ (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Tissue Engineering - Part A

Vol. 21

Pages: 1869-1885

ISSN: 1937-3341

Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 11 Citations

Scopus - 11 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-5PS

DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2014.0386

Abstract (EN): Cartilage damage and/or aging effects can cause constant pain, which limits the patient's quality of life. Although different strategies have been proposed to enhance the limited regenerative capacity of cartilage tissue, the full production of native and functional cartilaginous extracellular matrix (ECM) has not yet been achieved. Poly(gamma-glutamic acid) (gamma-PGA), a naturally occurring polyamino acid, biodegradable into glutamate residues, has been explored for tissue regeneration. In this work, gamma-PGA's ability to support the production of cartilaginous ECM by human bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and nasal chondrocytes (NCs) was investigated. MSC and NC pellets were cultured in basal medium (BM), chondrogenic medium (CM), and CM-gamma-PGA-supplemented medium (CM+gamma-PGA) over a period of 21 days. Pellet size/shape was monitored with time. At 14 and 21 days of culture, the presence of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs), type II collagen (Col II), Sox-9, aggrecan, type XI collagen (Col XI), type X collagen (Col X), calcium deposits, and type I collagen (Col I) was analyzed. After excluding gamma-PGA's cytotoxicity, earlier cell condensation, higher sGAG content, Col II, Sox-9 (day 14), aggrecan, and Col X (day 14) production was observed in gamma-PGA-supplemented MSC cultures, with no signs of mineralization or Col I. These effects were not evident with NCs. However, Sox-9 (at day 14) and Col X (at days 14 and 21) were increased, decreased, or absent, respectively. Overall, gamma-PGA improved chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs, increasing ECM production earlier in culture. It is proposed that gamma-PGA incorporation in novel biomaterials has a beneficial impact on future approaches for cartilage regeneration.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17