Evaluation of intervertebral disc regeneration with injection of mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in PEGDA-microcryogel delivery system using quantitative T2 mapping: a study in canines.

Evaluation of intervertebral disc regeneration with injection of mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in PEGDA-microcryogel delivery system using quantitative T2 mapping: a study in canines. Am J Transl Res. 2019;11(4):2028-2041 Authors: Ying J, Han Z, Zeng Y, Du Y, Pei S, Su L, Ruan D, Chen C Abstract Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), the primary cause of low back pain, is still a great challenge to spinal surgeons and clinicians. T2 mapping, a biochemical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to calculate relaxation time, has the potential to offer a quantitative assessment of IDD. The aim of the study was to evaluate the regenerative effects of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) encapsulated in PEGDA-microcryogels (PMs) reinforced alginate hydrogel (AH) on the degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD) in a canine model using T2 mapping. Four degeneration-induced IVDs (L3-L4 to L6-L7) of 12 adult beagle dogs were injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), MSCs, AH-PMs, and MSCs-laden AH-PMs, respectively. The intact IVD L7-S1 served as the normal control. IVD height change on plain radiograph, Pfirrmann grade and T2 relaxation time on MRI, histological change, and extracellular matrix (ECM)-associated proteins were evaluated during the 24-week follow-up period. Injection of MSCs-laden AH-PMs had the most satisfactory effects, having less decrease of IVD height, lower Pfirrmann grade, milder histological change...
Source: American Journal of Translational Research - Category: Research Tags: Am J Transl Res Source Type: research