Platelet-Rich Plasma Enhances Adhesion and Short-Term Retention of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to...

Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) adhesion and retention at sites of cartilage degeneration are critical for improving cartilage repair. This study investigated whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) enhances the adhesion and short-term retention of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) and chondrocytes under in vitro and ex vivo conditions. BM-MSCs and chondrocytes were treated with PRP or pretreated with PRP for 10 or 30 min, and cell adhesion to collagen-coated surfaces was evaluated using a cell viability assay. Ex vivo adhesion and short-term retention of BM-MSCs on osteochondral discs with varying lesion severity were assessed by fluorescence imaging analysis. PRP significantly enhanced the adhesion of both BM-MSCs and chondrocytes in a time-dependent manner, with the 30 min PRP pretreatment group showing the greatest effect. BM-MSC attachment in the 30 min PRP pretreatment group was significantly higher than that in the untreated control group after 30 min of incubation (p < 0.001), whereas chondrocyte attachment was also significantly increased following PRP pretreatment. In addition, PRP pretreatment significantly enhanced BM-MSC attachment compared with PRP treatment alone at 20 and 30 min of incubation (both p < 0.001). In ex vivo experiments, adhesion and short-term retention increased significantly with increasing lesion severity from G1 to G3 (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). In G2 and G3 lesions, PRP pretreatment for 30 min significantly enhanced BM-MSC adhesion and short-term retention compared with the control group (both p < 0.01). These findings suggest that PRP may improve the early adhesion and retention of MSCs on damaged cartilage and support the potential use of PRP as a biological adjunct for MSC-based cartilage repair strategies.