Intervertebral Disc Regeneration Using Stem Cell/Growth Factor-Loaded Porous Particles with a Leaf-Stacked Structure

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Current biological therapies for intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration face challenges with repeated injections and cell leakage.
• Growth factors and transplanted cells show potential but require improved delivery systems for therapeutic use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel combination bioactive delivery matrix for degenerated IVD.
• To encapsulate human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) and transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) within leaf-stack structural (LSS) particles.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of LSS particles using clinically acceptable biomaterials (polycaprolactone and tetraglycol) via simple heating and cooling.
• Loading of hBMSCs and TGF-β3 into LSS particles.
• In vitro and in vivo studies using a beagle dog model to assess IVD regeneration.

Main Results:

• LSS particles demonstrated sustained release of TGF-β3 for 18 days and stable cell adhesiveness.
• The hBMSCs/TGF-β3-loaded LSS particles facilitated chondrogenic differentiation of hBMSCs.
• Effective IVD regeneration was observed in the beagle dog model.

Conclusions:

• Therapeutically loaded LSS particles provide a suitable environment for IVD regeneration.
• This novel delivery system shows promise for treating degenerated IVD and potentially other tissues.