Mechanism of Action of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes in the Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Treatment and Bone Repair and Regeneration

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles formed by various donor cells that regulate gene expression and cellular function in recipient cells. Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-Exos) perform the regulatory function of stem cells by transporting proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is one of the main causes of low back pain, and it is characterized by a decreased number of nucleus pulposus cells, extracellular matrix decomposition, aging of the annulus fibrosus, and cartilage endplate calcification. Besides, nutrient transport and structural repair of intervertebral discs depend on bone and cartilage and are closely related to the state of the bone. Trauma, disease and aging can all cause bone injury. However, there is a lack of effective drugs against IDD and bone injury. Recent MSC-Exos fine tuning has led to significant progress in the IDD treatment and bone repair and regeneration. In this review, we looked at the uniqueness of MSC-Exos, and the potential treatment mechanisms of MSC-Exos with respect to IDD, bone defects and injuries.

Exercise-induced piezoelectric stimulation for cartilage regeneration in rabbits

A biodegradable piezoelectric scaffold excited by exercise promotes chondrogenesis and cartilage regeneration in rabbit osteochondral defects.

Probiotics Composition Harbors Against Osteoarthritis and Inflammation through GABA in Mice

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related disease with multifactorial etiology and its prevalence growing globally. The role of Gut microbiota is inevitable concerning musculoskeletal disease and health. A method of controlling inflammation and cartilage destruction through changes in gut microbiota is proposed. Previously reported data lack the specific approach to microbial clusters and biomarkers in understanding the interactions between host and microbiome.Method: We adopted a novel approach to elaborate the positive influence of S. thermophilus and L. pentosus to treat Anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) induced OA in vivo. For in vitro analysis Human Chondrocyte Cell Line (C28/I2) was used to analyze chondrogenic effect of microbes and GABA. Tukey’s multiple-comparisons test or Two-stage linear step-up procedure of Benjamini, Krieger, and Yekutieli test were used to statistically analyze the data.Results: The gut microbiota-joint axis promoted chondrogenesis and inhibited catabolism. Selected bacteria produced GABA as postbiotic. This study is the first to represent the chondrogenic and protective effects of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on human chondrocytes and cartilage tissue in mice. Oral administration of it down-regulated cartilage degradation in OA-induced mice and decreased inflammation.Conclusion: We speculated the positive results from GABA and probiotics producing GABA against OA. GABA may have functional roles in chondrocyte maturation /differentiation. This data provides a foundation for further studies to elucidate the role of GABA producing microbes and GABA in the regulation of cartilaginous cell proliferation. These findings open future horizons to understand the gut-joint axis and for the treatment of OA. Thus probiotic / GABA therapy could act as a nutraceutical modulator for OA.

YAP/TAZ in Bone and Cartilage Biology

YAP and TAZ were initially described as the main regulators of organ growth during development and more recently implicated in bone biology. YAP and TAZ are regulated by mechanical and cytoskeletal cues that lead to the control of cell fate in response to the cellular microenvironment. The mechanical component represents a major signal for bone tissue adaptation and remodelling, so YAP/TAZ contributes significantly in bone and cartilage homeostasis. Recently, mice and cellular models have been developed to investigate the precise roles of YAP/TAZ in bone and cartilage cells, and which appear to be crucial. This review provides an overview of YAP/TAZ regulation and function, notably providing new insights into the role of YAP/TAZ in bone biology.

Mussel inspired injectable chitosan hydrogel modified with catechol for cell adhesion and cartilage defect repair

Repairing articular cartilage defect is a great challenge due to the poor self-regenerative capability of cartilage. Hydrogel-based tissue engineering has been considered as an effective strategy. In this study, inspired...