Recent trends in cartilage regenerative medicine and its application to oral and maxillofacial surgery

Greater progress has been made in the clinical application of cartilage regenerative medicine, compared with that of other organs. A typical example of cartilage regenerative medicine is autologous chondrocyte implantation, in which chondrocytes isolated from the patient's cartilage are cultured and injected into the cartilage defects in a liquid- or gel-form. However, the classic autologous chondrocyte implantation has been applicable to only limited diseases, including focal cartilage lesion. Therefore, we developed “implant-type” tissue-engineered cartilage that shows mechanical strength and three-dimensional shape. This type of tissue-engineered cartilage uses scaffold composed of atelocollagen hydrogel and poly-l-lactic acid porous material, which is administered with cultured autologous auricular chondrocytes. Its clinical application to nasal deformity of cleft lip and palate patients has been ongoing at present. This review presents an overview of the current situation regarding cartilage regenerative medicine, as well as introducing our research and the development of implant-type tissue-engineered cartilage for the cleft-lip nose. The discussion of the future development of regenerative medicine is also mentioned.     

Ⅱ型胶原在T-2毒素诱导大鼠关节软骨早期损伤中的干预作用

目的 观察Ⅱ型胶原在T-2毒素诱导大鼠关节软骨早期损伤中的干预作用,在分子水平上寻找软骨损伤及修复的分子学生物标志,为探讨关节软骨损伤疾病的防治措施提供理论依据.方法 Wistar大鼠80只,按体质量随机分为4组:阴性对照组、阳性对照组、高剂量干预组、低剂量干预组,每组20只.阴性对照组食用常规成品颗粒饲料,其他3组食用含100 ng/kg T-2毒素染毒饲料;阴性对照组和阳性对照组饮自来水;低、高剂量干预组饮用含Ⅱ型胶原0.5、5.0 g/L的自来水.在3、5个月时处死大鼠,光镜下观察大鼠透明软骨的组织病理学改变,用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA法)检测大鼠血清Ⅱ型胶原羧基末端肽(CTX-Ⅱ)、软骨寡聚基质蛋白(COMP)及尿中吡啶啉(DPD)含量.结果 光镜下阳性对照组大鼠关节软骨细胞排列紊乱,软骨细胞变形、变性,可见大面积的软骨细胞坏死,而高、低剂量干预组表现为软骨表面原纤维形成,表层软骨细胞肿胀变圆,扁平的软骨细胞减少,软骨细胞簇集等骨关节炎早期病理改变.在3、5个月时,阴性对照组、阳性对照组、高剂量干预组、低剂量干预组大鼠血清CTX-Ⅱ含量分别为(18.77±4.61)、(25.07±9.17),(24.43±5.23)、(39.17±10.49),(21.11±5.02),(33.20±9.74),(19.87±4.53)、(29.73±9.32)μg/L;血清COMP含量分别为(5.43±2.75)、(6.38±2.23),(21.37±4.72)、(24.52±4.26),(17.27±4.77)、(20.32±4.74),(20.13±5.07)、(19.44±4.92)μg/L.其中,3个月时,与阴性对照组比较,阳性对照组血清CTX-Ⅱ含量明显升高(P＜0.05),而低、高剂量干预组未见明显改变(P均＞ 0.05);5个月时,与阴性对照组比较,其他3组血清CTX-Ⅱ含量明显升高(P均＜ 0.05),而高、低剂量干预组明显低于阳性对照组(P均＜0.05).3个月时,与阴性对照组比较,其他3组血清COMP含量明显升高(P均＜0.05),而与阳性对照组比较,高剂量干预组血清COMP含量明显降低(P＜0.05);5个月时,与阴性对照组比较,其他3组血清COMP含量明显升高(P均＜0.05),而与阳性对照组比较,高、低剂量干预组血清COMP含量明显降低(P均＜0.05).3、5个月时,上述4组大鼠尿液DPD含量分别为( 3.47±2.20)、(4.14±1.06),(4.09±2.48)、(4.33±3.43),(3.86±2.31)、(5.72±3.89),(3.58±2.77)、(4.23±2.90)μg/L,组间比较,差异无统计学意义(F值分别为2.608、2.436,P均＞0.05).结论 Ⅱ型胶原能拮抗T-2毒素的软骨损伤作用,延缓关节软骨的破坏进程,降低大鼠血清中CTX-Ⅱ及COMP水平.