High quality repair of osteochondral defects in rats using the extracellular matrix of antler stem cells

BACKGROUND Cartilage defects are some of the most common causes of arthritis.Cartilage lesions caused by inflammation,trauma or degenerative disease normally result in osteochondral defects.Previous studies have shown that decellularized extracellular matrix(ECM)derived from autologous,allogenic,or xenogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs)can effectively restore osteochondral integrity.AIM To determine whether the decellularized ECM of antler reserve mesenchymal cells(RMCs),a xenogeneic material from antler stem cells,is superior to the currently available treatments for osteochondral defects.METHODS We isolated the RMCs from a 60-d-old sika deer antler and cultured them in vitro to 70%confluence;50 mg/mL L-ascorbic acid was then added to the medium to stimulate ECM deposition.Decellularized sheets of adipocyte-derived MSCs(aMSCs)and antlerogenic periosteal cells(another type of antler stem cells)were used as the controls.Three weeks after ascorbic acid stimulation,the ECM sheets were harvested and applied to the osteochondral defects in rat knee joints.RESULTS The defects were successfully repaired by applying the ECM-sheets.The highest quality of repair was achieved in the RMC-ECM group both in vitro(including cell attachment and proliferation),and in vivo(including the simultaneous regeneration of well-vascularized subchondral bone and avascular articular hyaline cartilage integrated with surrounding native tissues).Notably,the antler-stem-cell-derived ECM(xenogeneic)performed better than the aMSC-ECM(allogenic),while the ECM of the active antler stem cells was superior to that of the quiescent antler stem cells.CONCLUSION Decellularized xenogeneic ECM derived from the antler stem cell,particularly the active form(RMC-ECM),can achieve high quality repair/reconstruction of osteochondral defects,suggesting that selection of decellularized ECM for such repair should be focused more on bioactivity rather than kinship.

Injectable hydrogel made from antler mesenchyme matrix for regenerative wound healing via creating a fetal-like niche

BACKGROUND Scar formation and loss of cutaneous appendages are the greatest challenges in cutaneous wound healing.Previous studies have indicated that antler reserve mesenchyme(RM)cells and their conditioned medium improved regenerative wound healing with partial recovery of cutaneous appendages.AIM To develop hydrogels from the antler RM matrix(HARM)and evaluate the effect on wound healing.METHODS We prepared the hydrogels from the HARM via enzymatic solubilization with pepsin.Then we investigated the therapeutic effects of HARM on a full-thickness cutaneous wound healing rat model using both local injections surrounding the wound and topical wound application.RESULTS The results showed that HARM accelerated wound healing rate and reduced scar formation.Also,HARM stimulated the regeneration of cutaneous appendages and blood vessels,and reduced collagen fiber aggregation.Further study showed that these functions might be achieved via creating a fetal-like niche at the wound site.The levels of fetal wound healing-related genes,including Collagen III and TGFβ3 treated with HARM were all increased,while the expression levels of Collagen I,TGFβ1,and Engrailed 1 were decreased in the healing.Moreover,the number of stem cells was increased in the fetal-like niche created by HARM,which may contribute to the regeneration of cutaneous appendages.CONCLUSION Overall,we successfully developed an injectable hydrogel made from antler RM matrix for the regenerative repair of full-thickness cutaneous wounds.We uncovered the molecular mechanism of the hydrogels in promoting regenerative wound healing,and thus pave the way for HARM to be developed for the clinic use.

Evaluation of remediation process with soapberry derived saponin for removal of heavy metals from contaminated soils in Hai-Pu, Taiwan

The use of a biodegradable natural plant-based surfactant extracted from soapberry is proposed for the remediation of Ni, Cr and Mn from industrial soil site in Hai-Pu, Taiwan. Batch experiments were performed under variation of fundamental factors （saponin concentration, pH, and incubation time） for metal remediation. Removal of Ni and Mn were increased with increasing saponin concentration （0.015-0.150 g/L）, whereas the removal of Cr was increased upto 0.075 g/L saponin. The Ni, Cr and Mn were removed significantly （p 〈 0.05） at near to the neutral and slightly acidic （pH 5 to 8） conditions. Removal efficiency of Ni （99%） from the soil was found to be greater than that of Cr （73%） or Mn （25%） in the presence of saponin at a concentration of 0.150 g/L at pH 5. The removal percentage increased with incubation time where the removal of Ni was faster than that of Cr and Mn. The result indicates the feasibility of cco-friendly removal of heavy metal （Ni, Cr and Mn） from industrial soil by soil washing process in presence of plant derived saponin.

Comparative Neonatal Outcomes of Vitrified Versus Fresh Embryo Transfers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective:Vitrification prevents ice formation within the high concentration of cryoprotectant agents and allows the cells and extracellular milieu to solidify into a glass-like state.This study aimed to provide objective information on the available data regarding singleton births comparing embryo vitrification with fresh embryo transfers.Methods:PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched for studies conducted up to 2017.Low birth weight(LBW),very low birth weight(VLBW),preterm birth(PTB),very PTB,small for gestational age(SGA),large for gestational age,perinatal mortality,cesarean section,and preeclampsia were measured.Results:The search returned 220 articles,and 13 of these met the inclusion criteria.A significantly lower risk of SGA birth was observed in the vitrified embryo transfer group than in the fresh transfer group.Conversely,a higher risk of very PTB,VLBW,large size for gestational age,and perinatal mortality was observed more frequently in the vitrified embryo transfer group.Conclusions:Vitrified embryo transfer was associated with the improved outcome of neonates regarding the SGA rate compared with fresh embryo transfer,but included a higher risk of very PTB,VLBW,large size for gestational age,and perinatal mortality.Caution should be exercised in interpreting these findings given the low level of evidence of the studies.