Growth factor supplementation improves native and engineered meniscus repair in vitro

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Limited therapeutic strategies exist for meniscus injuries.
• Growth factors show potential for stimulating meniscus repair and improving engineered tissue integration.
• Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds are being explored for meniscus tissue engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3) on meniscus repair.
• To assess the integration and maturation of electrospun PCL scaffolds in meniscus tissue engineering.
• To determine the optimal delivery timing of growth factors for meniscus repair.

Main Methods:

• Meniscus repair constructs were created using native tissue or PCL scaffolds.
• Constructs were cultured with bFGF or TGF-β3 for 4 and 8 weeks.
• Assessments included mechanical strength, biochemical content, and histological analysis.

Main Results:

• Short-term bFGF or sustained TGF-β3 delivery improved integration strength in both native tissue and engineered scaffolds.
• TGF-β3 increased proteoglycan content, while bFGF did not significantly increase DNA content.
• Electrospun scaffolds demonstrated comparable or superior integration to native tissue.

Conclusions:

• bFGF and TGF-β3 show promise for stimulating meniscus repair in vivo.
• The timing of growth factor delivery is critical for successful meniscus regeneration.
• Electrospun PCL scaffolds are a viable material for meniscus tissue engineering.