Assessing the functional properties of tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells in ex vivo equine tendon and ligament explants: A preliminary study.
Abstract: Injuries to equine tendons and ligaments are career-compromising, causing reduced performance and premature retirement. Promising treatment alternatives have been investigated in the field of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, the tissue adherence and protein expression of tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs) after administration to ex vivo tendon and ligament explants is investigated. First, collagen type I (COL I) and smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression was assessed in cytospins prepared from native MSCs and tpMSCs. Second, equine superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory ligament explants were cultivated, and a lesion was treated with both cell types. Subsequently, cell adhesion to the explants and the amount of COL I and SMA positive cells was evaluated. The cytospins revealed a significantly higher COL I and lower SMA expression in tpMSCs compared to native MSCs. In the explants, tpMSCs showed a significantly higher tendon and ligament adherence. Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of COL I positive and a lower percentage of SMA positive cells were observed in the lesions treated with tpMSCs. The results of these explant co-cultures may demonstrate at least a part of the mechanism of action and functional properties of tpMSCs in restoring function to tendons and ligaments.
Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2022-11-12 PubMed ID: 36395687DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2022.102963Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The researchers are investigating the use of specific types of stem cells, known as tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells, to treat injuries to horse tendons and ligaments. The study specifically explores the adherence of these cells to tendon and ligament tissue, and their effects on protein expression.
Methodology
The research used both native mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs). The experiment was divided into two distinct parts.
- The first part focused on preparing cytospins from the MSCs and tpMSCs, thus allowing the researchers to assess the expression of collagen type I (COL I) and smooth muscle actin (SMA), two proteins vital to tendon and ligament health and function.
- In the second part of the experiment, tendon and ligament tissues from equine superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory ligament were cultured in the lab. These tissues were then treated with both MSCs and tpMSCs, allowing the researchers to observe their effects.
Results
The results presented several notable findings:
- First, in the cultured cells (cytospins), tpMSCs showed a significantly higher expression of collagen type I protein and a lower expression of smooth muscle actin compared to native MSCs. This is significant as COL I is crucial for tendon and ligament health, while a higher presence of SMA might indicate adverse fibrotic changes.
- Second, in the lab-cultured tendon and ligament tissues, the tpMSCs showed higher adherence compared to the native MSCs. This adherence is crucial for the MSCs to anchor themselves to the injury site and provide their beneficial effects.
- Third, lesions treated with tpMSCs showed a significantly higher percentage of COL I positive cells and a lower percentage of SMA positive cells. This again suggests that tpMSCs promote a healthier tendon/ligament environment compared to the native MSCs.
Implications
These results point to tpMSCs offering significant potential for treating tendon and ligament injuries in horses. By promoting the expression of beneficial proteins and adhering more effectively to the site of injury, they may be better equipped than current treatment alternatives to restore functionality and prolong the athletic lives of horses. However, as the study used ex vivo tissue cultures, further in vivo studies are essential to confirm and fully understand these findings.
Cite This Article
APA
Depuydt E, Chiers K, Van Hecke L, Saunders J, Martens A, Pille F, Spaas JH.
(2022).
Assessing the functional properties of tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells in ex vivo equine tendon and ligament explants: A preliminary study.
Stem Cell Res, 65, 102963.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2022.102963 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Medicine Belgium, Noorwegenstraat 4, 9940 Evergem, Belgium; Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: eva.depuydt@boehringer-ingelheim.com.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry diseases, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Koen.Chiers@UGent.be.
- Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Medicine Belgium, Noorwegenstraat 4, 9940 Evergem, Belgium. Electronic address: lore.van_hecke@boehringer-ingelheim.com.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Jimmy.Saunders@UGent.be.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Ann.Martens@UGent.be.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: frederik.pille@ugent.be.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, 1730 Olympic Drive, 30606 Athens, GA, USA. Electronic address: jan.spaas@boehringer-ingelheim.com.
MeSH Terms
- Horses
- Animals
- Ligaments
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest JHS, ED, and LVH were all employed by BIVMB at the time of the study. The content of this manuscript contains a commercially available stem cell product (RenuTend©) owned and patented by BIVMB. The remaining authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Chen Z, Wang X. The Role and Application of Exosomes and Their Cargos in Reproductive Diseases: A Systematic Review. Vet Sci 2022 Dec 19;9(12).
- Guest DJ, Birch HL, Thorpe CT. A review of the equine suspensory ligament: Injury prone yet understudied. Equine Vet J 2025 Sep;57(5):1167-1182.
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