Therapeutic Benefit for Late, but Not Early, Passage Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Pain Behaviour in an Animal Model of Osteoarthritis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a therapeutic potential for the treatment of osteoarthritic (OA) joint pathology and pain. The aims of this study were to determine the influence of a passage number on the effects of MSCs on pain behaviour and cartilage and bone features in a rodent model of OA.

METHODS:

Rats underwent either medial meniscal transection (MNX) or sham surgery under anaesthesia. Rats received intra-articular injection of either 1.5 × 106 late passage MSCs labelled with 10 μg/ml SiMAG, 1.5 × 106 late passage mesenchymal stem cells, the steroid Kenalog (200 μg/20 μL), 1.5 × 106 early passage MSCs, or serum-free media (SFM). Sham-operated rats received intra-articular injection of SFM. Pain behaviour was quantified until day 42 postmodel induction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to localise the labelled cells within the knee joint.

RESULTS:

Late passage MSCs and Kenalog attenuated established pain behaviour in MNX rats, but did not alter MNX-induced joint pathology at the end of the study period. Early passage MSCs exacerbated MNX-induced pain behaviour for up to one week postinjection and did not alter joint pathology.

CONCLUSION:

Our data demonstrate for the first time the role of a passage number in influencing the therapeutic effects of MSCs in a model of OA pain.

• Authors: Victoria Chapman, Hareklea Markides, Devi Rani Sagar, Luting Xu, James J Burston, Paul Mapp, Alasdair Kay, Robert H Morris, Oksana Kehoe, Alicia J El Haj
• Journal: Stem cells international (Stem Cells Int) Vol. 2017 Pg. 2905104 ( 2017) ISSN: 1687-966X [Print] United States
• PMID: 29434641 (Publication Type: Journal Article)