A Quercetin Nanocarrier-Loaded Dual Network Injectable Hydrogel for Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) Delivery Targeting...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) affects over 500 million people globally, with current treatments offering limited disease modification.
• Stem cell therapy shows promise for OA, but poor cell survival due to oxidative stress and inflammation hinders efficacy.
• Developing advanced delivery systems is crucial to overcome these limitations and improve therapeutic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an injectable, antioxidant-loaded hydrogel for enhanced stem cell delivery in osteoarthritis (OA) treatment.
• To investigate the hydrogel's physicochemical properties, in vitro biological effects, and in vivo therapeutic potential for OA.
• To assess the hydrogel's capacity to mitigate oxidative stress, control inflammation, and promote cartilage regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a dual-network hydrogel using gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and κ-carrageenan, incorporating quercetin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles.
• In vitro assessment of hydrogel properties (gelation, degradation, self-healing) and biological effects on cells (ROS scavenging, inflammatory markers, cartilage regeneration markers).
• In vivo evaluation of the hydrogel's efficacy in an OA model, assessing glycosaminoglycan deposition, inflammation, joint mobility, and cartilage repair.

Main Results:

• The developed hydrogel exhibited stable gelation, controlled degradation, and self-healing capabilities.
• In vitro studies showed sustained quercetin release effectively reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory factors while promoting cartilage regeneration markers.
• In vivo studies demonstrated improved glycosaminoglycan deposition, reduced inflammation, enhanced joint mobility, and significant cartilage repair in the OA model.

Conclusions:

• The antioxidant hydrogel system effectively delivers stem cells and combats OA pathology by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
• This novel biomaterial demonstrates significant potential for promoting cartilage regeneration and improving joint function in osteoarthritis.
• The developed hydrogel-based cell delivery system represents a promising therapeutic strategy for osteoarthritis treatment.