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Glucosamine-modified polyethylene glycol hydrogel-mediated chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem
Hang Yao1, Jingchen Xue2, Qunfang Wang2
1School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan RD, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510641, China; National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Division of Bioengineering, School of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, N1.3-B2-13, 637457, Singapore.
Abstract:
Glucosamine (GA) is an important cartilage matrix precursor for the glycosaminoglycan biochemical synthesis, and has positive effects on cartilage regeneration, particularly in osteoarthritis therapy. However, it has not been used as a bioactive group in scaffolds for cartilage repair widely. In this study, we synthesized modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel with glucosamine and then encapsulated human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) in the hydrogel to induce the differentiation of hBMSCs into chondrocytes in three-dimensional culture. The GA-modified PEG hydrogels promoted the chondrogenesis of hBMSCs, particularly in the concentration of 5mM and 10mM. The subcutaneous transplantation of 10mM GA-modified hydrogels with hBMSCs formed cartilage-like blocks in vivo for 8weeks. Importantly, with glucosamine increase, the modified hydrogels down-regulated the fibrosis and hypertrophic cartilage markers in protein level. Therefore, glucosamine modified PEG hydrogels facilitated the chondrogenesis of hBMSCs, which might represent a new method for cartilage repair using a tissue-engineering approach.
