Early Efficacy of Type I Collagen-Based Matrix-Assisted Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation for the Treatment of Articular Cartilage Lesions

Background: Articular cartilage is a complex structure that allows for low frictional gliding and effective shock absorption. Various sports injuries and inflammatory conditions can lead to lesions in the articular cartilage, which has limited regenerative potential. Type I collagen combined with autologous chondrocytes in a three-dimensional culture were used to induce the regeneration of single-layer autologous expanded chondrocytes without chondrogenic differentiation.Purpose: To assess the clinical, radiological, and histological changes following collagen-based autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) for chondral knee lesions.Methods: The study prospectively enrolled 20 patients with symptomatic knee chondral lesions (mean size lesion was 2.41 ± 0.43 cm2, range: 2.0–3.4 cm2) in the lateral femoral condyle and femoral groove who underwent type I collagen-based MACT between July 2017 and July 2019. knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) was assessed before the procedure, and periodic clinical follow-up was conducted every 3 months for a maximum of 12 months following the procedure and at 1-year intervals thereafter. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 mapping of repaired cartilage was also used for the quantitative analysis of regeneration. In one patient, second-look arthroscopy was performed to assess cartilage regeneration characteristics, and a portion of regenerated cartilage was harvested for histological evaluation 12 months after implantation.Results: At pre-operation and at three, six, 12, and 24 months after the operation, KOOS pain, symptoms, daily life activities, sports and recreation, as well as the quality of life were significantly improved between every two time points. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining indicated that the newly formed cartilage was comprised of naive chondrocytes. Safranin O-fast (S-O) green staining of the regenerated tissue revealed fibroblast-like cells surrounded by glycosaminoglycans. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis indicated that collagen type II was uniformly distributed at the deep zone of articular cartilage and type I collagen mainly depositing in the superficial cartilage layer. The T2 values for repaired tissue gradually decreased, eventually approaching near-average values.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that type I collagen-based MACT is a clinically effective treatment for improving functionality and pain levels. Histological evidence confirmed hyaline cartilage induction and showed that repaired cartilage tended to emerge from the deep to the superficial layer. The quantitative MRI T2 mapping test indicated that there still was a difference between the transplanted cartilage and the surrounding hyaline cartilage. Taken together, the current method represents an efficient approach for the restoration of knee cartilage lesions.

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Early Efficacy of Type I Collagen Based Matrix-Assisted Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation to Treat Articular Cartilage Lesions

10.21203/rs.3.rs-528457/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Xiang Li ◽

Jiatian Qian ◽

Shiao Li ◽

Peiliang Fu ◽

Chengyan Chen

Keyword(s):

Type I Collagen ◽

Collagen Type ◽

T2 Mapping ◽

Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation ◽

Type I ◽

Chondrocyte Transplantation ◽

Cartilage Lesions ◽

Autologous Chondrocyte

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the clinical, radiological, and histological results of type I collagen-based matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) in the treatment of chondral lesions of the knee.Methods: The study prospectively enrolled 20 patients with symptomatic knee chondral defects (mean size defect was 2.41±0.43 cm2, range 2.0 to 3.4 cm2) in the lateral femoral condyle and femoral groove who underwent type I collagen-based MACT between July 2017 and July 2019. KOOS was assessed preoperatively, with periodic clinical follow-up performed preoperatively and then every 3 months for up to 12 months postoperative period, and thereafter at 1-year intervals. During this follow-up, serial magnetic resonance imaging T2 mapping of repair cartilage was used to reflect the quantitative analysis quality of the regenerative cartilage. In one patient, second-look arthroscopy was performed at 12 months after implantation to assess the characteristics of cartilage regeneration.Results: Compared with preoperation, the score of the pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, sports and recreation, and quality of life showed statistically significant improvement with a significant difference at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after operation(P<0.05). The difference in KOOS subscales scores between every two-time point was statistically significant (P<0.001). HE stains showed the newly formed cartilage was naive chondrocytes. Safranin O-fast green stain manifested in the regenerated tissue comprising predominantly fibroblast-like cells surrounded by glycosaminoglycans. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the expression of collagen type II was more clearly and evenly distributed than collagen type I.Conclusion: Type I collagen-based MACT was a clinically effective treatment for functional and pain level improvement, and this method presented histologic evidence of inducing hyaline‐like cartilage in cartilage lesions by biopsy in one case. The quantitative MRI T2-mapping test showed that there was a difference between the transplanted cartilage and the surrounding hyaline cartilage.

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Functional Outcome of Knee Articular Cartilage Repair in Adolescent Athletes

The American Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/0363546504274146 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 33 (8) ◽

pp. 1147-1153 ◽

Cited By ~ 128

Author(s):

Kai Mithöfer ◽

Tom Minas ◽

Lars Peterson ◽

Howard Yeon ◽

Lyle J. Micheli

Keyword(s):

Articular Cartilage ◽

Functional Outcome ◽

Cartilage Repair ◽

Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation ◽

Full Thickness ◽

Chondrocyte Transplantation ◽

Adolescent Athletes ◽

Cartilage Lesions ◽

Articular Cartilage Lesions ◽

Autologous Chondrocyte

Background Limited information exists about the treatment of full-thickness articular cartilage lesions of the knee in adolescent athletes. Purpose To evaluate the functional outcome and athletic activity after articular cartilage repair in the knees of adolescent athletes. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods Twenty adolescent athletes with full-thickness articular cartilage lesions of the knee were treated with autologous chondrocyte transplantation. Functional outcome was evaluated by subjective patient outcome rating, knee activity scores, and level of athletic participation. Results At a mean of 47 months after autologous chondrocyte transplantation, 96% of adolescents reported good or excellent results with significant increases in postoperative Tegner activity scores and Lysholm scores. Ninety-six percent returned to high-impact sports and 60% to an athletic level equal or higher than that before knee injury. Return to preinjury sports correlated with shorter preoperative symptoms and a lower number of prior operations. All adolescents with preoperative symptoms ≤12 months returned to preinjury-level athletics, compared to 33% with preoperative intervals longer than 12 months. Conclusion Treatment of full-thickness articular injuries of the knee in adolescent athletes with autologous chondrocyte transplantation yields a high rate of functional success at a mean follow-up of 47 months. The rate of return to demanding athletic activities is higher in cases in which the preoperative duration of symptoms is 12 months or less.

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