3D-bioprinting ready-to-implant anisotropic menisci recapitulate healthy meniscus phenotype and prevent secondary joint degeneration

Abstract

Objectives: Disruption of anisotropic phenotypes of the meniscus would contribute to OA progression. Exploring phenotype changes of the anisotropic meniscus in joint degeneration would help understand the biologic interaction between the meniscus and OA, and further facilitate the therapeutic strategies of meniscus injury-related joint degeneration. Meanwhile, engineering biomimetic meniscal tissue mimicking the anisotropy of the healthy meniscus remains a challenge. Methods & Results: Meniscal disruption of phenotype anisotropy (PBV growth, cellular phenotype and ECM depositions) was confirmed in OA patient samples. To recapitulate healthy meniscus phenotypes, 3D-bioprinted anisotropic TCM meniscus constructs with PBV growth and regional differential cell and ECM depositions were generated. Transplanted 3D-bioprinted meniscus into rabbit knees recapitulated phenotypes of native healthy meniscus and conferred long-term protection against secondary joint degeneration. Conclusion: 3D-bioprinted TCM meniscus not only restored the anisotropy of native healthy meniscus with PBV infiltration and better shape retention, but better maintained joint function and prevented secondary joint degeneration, which provided a new strategy for the clinical treatment of meniscus injury-related joint degenerative diseases.

Apelin Alleviates Meniscus Endothelial Cell Apoptosis in Osteoarthritis

“…It is reported that in meniscus, the immune cells and vasculature mainly distributed in the red zone [14]. Meniscus scRNA-seq data were analyzed using the R package Seurat [15], and the cells were clustered at a resolution of 0.6.…”

Application and development of 3D bioprinting in cartilage tissue engineering

“…Sun et al constructed engineered cartilage with a hierarchical structure through biotechnology. 39 Its pore structure and growth factors varied gradually with depth, and in vivo experi-…”

“…Sun et al constructed engineered cartilage with a hierarchical structure through biotechnology. 39 Its pore structure and growth factors varied gradually with depth, and in vivo experiments showed that the scaffold exhibited a hierarchical structure similar to that of natural cartilage and had excellent integration capacity. Park et al conducted a study on cartilage seed cells, 40 they found that the cell culture system with a three-dimensional structure allowed induced stem cells to differentiate into chondrocytes and maintain their phenotype better than a two-dimensional method of chondrocyte expansion and that a three-dimensional culture system with the addition of TFG-β3 growth factor showed the greatest number of biomarkers of chondrogenic differentiation.…”

3D Bioprinted Implants for Cartilage Repair in Intervertebral Discs and Knee Menisci

“…In vivo, GDF5 laden constructs were better able to produce hyaline-like neocartilage than constructs without GDF5 MPs, alongside higher GAG and Col II (also indicators of healthy native cartilage, and of chondrocyte phenotype) and displayed better cell spreading and proliferation. Continuing their work, the authors employed 3D bioprinting in the construction of a goat meniscus using a similar approach as above (Sun et al, 2021b). A hydrogel of the same type loaded with goat BMSCs and PLGA MPs containing connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and (TGFβ3) were printed within a PCL scaffold.…”