Examining the Effects of In Vitro Co-Culture of Equine Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells With Tendon Proper and Peritenon Cells.
Abstract: Tendinopathies remain the leading contributor to career-ending injuries in horses because of the complexity of tendon repair. As such, cell-based therapies like injections of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs, or MSCs) into injured tendons are becoming increasingly popular though their long-term efficacy on a molecular and wholistic level remains contentious. Thus, we co-cultured equine MSCs with intrinsic (tendon proper) and extrinsic (peritenon) tendon cell populations to examine interactions between these cells. Gene expression for common tenogenic, perivascular, and differentiation markers was quantified at 48 and 120 hours. Additionally, cellular metabolism of proliferation was examined every 24 hours for peritenon and tendon proper cells co-cultured with MSCs. MSCs co-cultured with tendon proper or peritenon cells had altered expression profiles demonstrating trend toward tenogenic phenotype with the exception of decreases in type I collagen (COL1A1). Peritenon cells co-cultured with MSCs had a trending and significant decrease in biglycan (BGN) and CSPG4 at 48 hours and 120 hours but overall significant increases in lysyl oxidase (LOX), mohawk (MKX), and scleraxis (SCX) within 48 hours. Tendon proper cells co-cultured with MSCs also exhibited increases in LOX and SCX at 48 hours. Furthermore, cell proliferation improved overall for tendon proper cells co-cultured with MSCs. The co-culture study results suggest that adipose-derived MSCs contribute beneficially to tenogenic stimulation of peritenon or tendon proper cells.
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2023-02-24 PubMed ID: 36841345DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104262Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research examined how co-culturing horse’s mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) extracted from fat tissue with the cells of the tendon proper and peritenon affected the gene expression, cellular metabolism, and proliferation, as part of improving the treatment for tendinopathies, a common injury in horses that often result in career-ending conditions.
Research Methodology
- The researchers conducted an experiment where they co-cultured equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with the cells from within the tendon (referred to as “tendon proper” cells) and from the external sheath that surrounds tendons (called “peritenon” cells).
- Expressions of certain genes associated with tendon development, vascular development, and cell differentiation were examined at intervals of 48 and 120 hours.
- The team also monitored the metabolic activity related to cell proliferation every 24 hours in both the tendon proper and peritenon cells when they were co-cultured with the MSCs.
Findings and Interpretations
- Mesenchymal stem cells co-cultured with cells from either the tendon proper or peritenon altered their gene expression profiles. Showing a trend towards adopting a tenogenic phenotype, required for tendon development and repair, except for a decrease in the expression of type 1 collagen.
- For peritenon cells that were co-cultured with MSCs, there was a trending and significant decrease in biglycan and CSPG4 at 48 and 120 hours respectively. Whereas, there were significant increases in lysyl oxidase, mohawk, and scleraxis within the first 48 hours. These variations point to the possible tenogenic stimulation of these cells by the MSCs.
- Similar tenogenic stimulation was observed in tendon proper cells co-cultured with MSCs, noted by the increase in the expression of lysyl oxidase and scleraxis.
- Another positive finding was the overall enhancement in cell proliferation for tendon proper cells when they were co-cultured with MSCs, which could accelerate tendon repair.
Implications and Conclusion
- The findings from this co-culture study suggest that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells could effectively stimulate tendon repair by encouraging tenogenesis in peritenon and tendon proper cells.
- This provides promising insights for using adipose-derived MSCs in cell-based treatments for horses plagued with tendinopathies, possibly improving their recuperation prospects and extending their active life in the profession.
Cite This Article
APA
Pechanec MY, Beall JM, Katzman S, Maga EA, Mienaltowski MJ.
(2023).
Examining the Effects of In Vitro Co-Culture of Equine Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells With Tendon Proper and Peritenon Cells.
J Equine Vet Sci, 126, 104262.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104262 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA.
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA. Electronic address: mjmienaltowski@ucdavis.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Horses
- Animals
- Coculture Techniques / veterinary
- Tendons / metabolism
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Aeri A, Gorla M, Sharma GT. Veterinary Regenerative Medicine: The Evolving Role of Stem Cell-Based Therapies. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2025 Nov;21(8):2484-2510.
- Guillaumin S, Rossoni A, Zeugolis D. State-of the-art and future perspective in co-culture systems for tendon engineering. Biomater Biosyst 2025 Mar;17:100110.
- Koch DW, Froneberger A, Berglund A, Connard S, Souther A, Schnabel LV. IL-1β + TGF-β2 dual-licensed mesenchymal stem cells have reduced major histocompatibility class I expression and positively modulate tenocyte migration, metabolism, and gene expression. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2024 Jun 1;262(S1):S61-S72.
- Mienaltowski MJ, Callahan M, Gonzales NL, Wong A. Examining the Potential of Vitamin C Supplementation in Tissue-Engineered Equine Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Constructs. Int J Mol Sci 2023 Dec 4;24(23).
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