Chondroprotection after injury
According to a new study on large animals conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, a new strengthening hydrogel system with hyaluronic acid at least temporarily stops cartilage degeneration, which usually occurs after injury and often causes joint pain. In addition to stopping the destruction of cartilage, this therapy helps to create a surface that is adhesive ("sticky") for stem cells injected into the joint as a treatment for the effects of injury.
Hyaline cartilage is the tissue that covers the articular surfaces of bones. It protects the bones from painful friction against each other, and its density and elasticity allow it to withstand the effects of physical exertion during movement. Unfortunately, these routine but complex impacts lead to the deterioration of cartilage, especially after any injury, and it is almost impossible to replace or grow it again. This means that keeping the remaining cartilage strong and stable is especially important.
Researchers have developed a therapy based on modified hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally produced by the connective tissue of the body. The medicine can be injected directly into the damaged joint. The purpose of therapy is reinforcement (strengthening) and sealing of hyaline cartilage.
This combined approach can be compared to the treatment of an old plank floor: to strengthen the preserved wood, something like a fastener is needed to save what is left, and then a sealer is applied to prevent future wear. According to the same principle, the researchers coated the cartilage with a substance that seeps into the pores of the tissue and provides strengthening, and then "sealed" it, targeting the injected stem cells to form the upper protective layer.
The researchers injected biogel into large animals, showing that it integrates with the matrix structure of damaged cartilage to stabilize it. They also demonstrated that the drug persists for at least one week. Examining cartilage tissue after treatment, the group found that the use of modified hyaluronic acid restores the regular activity of chondrocytes and microenvironment cells.
After reinforcement, the researchers moved on to sealing the cartilage so that further loss of tissue at the site of injury would not destroy its structure. To this end, the group combined the hyaluronic acid hydrogel system with the injection of mesenchymal stem cells, which formed a thin barrier on the surface of the cartilage, protecting it from further damage. In animals that received treatment, the local formation of a protective extracellular matrix at the site of the defect was more pronounced than in control animals.
Thus, the innovative technology and methodology has shown its promise for the treatment of damaged cartilage tissue. Larger animal studies are planned in order to translate the development into clinical practice as soon as possible.
Article by J.M.Patel et al. Stabilization of Damaged Articular Cartage with Hydrogel‐Mediated Reinforcement and Sealing is published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on EurekAlert materials!: New biosealant can stabilize cartilage, promote healing after injury.