J. Perry (Oswestry, GB)
Keele UniversityPresenter Of 1 Presentation
12.1.8 - Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Reduce Radiographic Osteoarthritis in an Ovine Model
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigated the effect of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hUC-MSCs) in an ovine model of early osteoarthritis (OA).
Methods and Materials
Fourteen female, 3-4 year old Welsh Mountain sheep underwent medial meniscal transection in their left stifle joints. Four weeks post-surgery, 107 Quantum® bioreactor-culture expanded hUC-MSCs (pooled from 3 donors) in 50µL PBS (n=7) or PBS alone (n=7, vehicle control group) were injected into the knees. Joints were harvested 12-weeks post-surgery and underwent X-ray and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and histological processing. Scoring was performed via a macroscopic OA score, Kellgren-Lawrence score (X-ray), sMOAKS (whole joint on MRI) and pyKNEEr (cartilage thickness on MRI), and cartilage and synovitis histology scores (Table 1).
Results
There was an improved macroscopic OA joint score in sheep receiving hUC-MSCs (11±4) cf. control (14±6), but this did not quite reach significance (p=0.054; Table 1). Kellgren-Lawrence X-ray scores in joints treated with hUC-MSCs were significantly improved (2.0±0) cf. control (3.0±0; p=0.028). No significant difference in sMOAKS (hUC-MSCs 18±10 vs. no cells 22±9; p=0.784) or PyKneer (hUC-MSCs 0.8±0.42mm vs. no cells 0.67±0.33mm; p=0.628) was observed between the treatment groups. Histological scoring demonstrated improved cartilage in sheep receiving hUC-MSCs (37±6) cf. control (41±13), but again, not quite significantly (p=0.064). A low level of synovitis was seen in both treatment groups (hUC-MSCs: 3.0±0.5 vs. no cells 3.0±2.5; p=0.900), i.e. typical of post-surgery, but with no increase caused by injecting xenogeneic cells.
Conclusion
There was significantly less OA observed on X-rays in sheep treated with hUC-MSCs than vehicle control, with no indication of an inflammatory response to the cells at the time-point studied. Whilst corroborating suggestions from previous murine models of OA and injury, that hUC-MSCs have benefit as an allogeneic treatment for early OA, this study would perhaps have benefitted from an increase in numbers or timescale.