Growth Differentiation Factor 5-Induced Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Enhance Tendon Healing

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials Science
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Musculoskeletal tissue regeneration holds promise for treating tendon injuries.
• Evidence for tenogenic mesenchymal stromal cells (TMSCs) in tendon healing is limited.
• Current standard treatment for tendon tears is surgical suture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of GDF5-induced TMSCs on infraspinatus tendon healing in rabbits.
• To evaluate the tenogenic differentiation of rabbit MSCs (rbMSCs) induced by GDF5.
• To compare TMSC-enhanced tendon healing with conventional suture repair.

Main Methods:

• Rabbit bone marrow-derived MSCs were isolated and induced to differentiate into TMSCs using GDF5.
• In vitro assessment included collagen assays, gene expression, and immunofluorescence for tenogenic markers.
• In vivo, infraspinatus tendon defects in rabbits were repaired using sutures, fibrin glue, and/or cells (rbMSCs, TMSCs, or tenocytes).

Main Results:

• GDF5 induction increased collagen and tenogenic gene expression (SCX, COL1A1) in rbMSCs in vitro.
• TMSC treatment in vivo promoted organized collagen fiber alignment and enhanced histological tendon healing.
• TMSC-treated tendons showed significantly improved healing scores and upregulated SCX expression compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• GDF5 effectively induces tenogenic differentiation in rabbit MSCs.
• TMSCs significantly enhance tendon healing in vivo in a rabbit model.
• TMSCs represent a promising cell-based therapy for tendon regeneration.