Orthopaedic Surgery (Dec 2021)

Effects of Platelet‐Rich Plasma and Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Meniscal Repair in the White‐White Zone of the Meniscus

  • Wen‐feng Xiao,
  • Yun‐tao Yang,
  • Wen‐qing Xie,
  • Miao He,
  • Di Liu,
  • Zi‐jun Cai,
  • Deng‐jie Yu,
  • Yu‐sheng Li,
  • Li‐cheng Wei

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/os.13089
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 8
pp. 2423 – 2432

Abstract

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Objective To investigate the role of autologous platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) on the repair of meniscal white‐white zone injury through promoting the proliferation of canine bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Methods A total of 24 beagle dogs were selected to construct meniscal white‐white zone injury models in both lateral knee joints. All subjects were divided into four groups: control, BMSCs, PRP, and PRP + BMSCs. Immunohistochemistry was applied in the expression detection of type I and type II collagens. HE staining and methylene blue staining were performed to observe the injury of cartilage of lateral femoral condyle in each group. ELISA was used to detect the osteopontin (OPN) content in cartilage of lateral femoral condyle. HE staining and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to observe the healing of meniscus in each group. Outcome measures include the expression of OPN in the synovial fluid of knee joint, the expression of type I collagen and type II collagen, the healing of meniscus injury, and the damage degree of lateral femoral condyle cartilage. Results Compared with the control group, the expressions of type I and type II collagens were enhanced in the PRP group and the PRP + BMSCs group. Compared with 1 week before modeling, the expression of OPN was elevated in the control group and the BMSCs group at 3 weeks after modeling. There were no significant differences in the above indicators between the PRP group and the PRP + BMSCs group. According to MRI and pathological section after HE staining, meniscal healing in the PRP group and the PRP + BMSCs group was significantly improved as compared to that of the control group and the BMSCs group (all P 0.05). All subjects were divided into the non‐healing group and the healing group in accordance with the HE staining results in previous experiment. The injury of cartilage of lateral femoral condyle was significantly heavier in the non‐healing group than that in the healing group. Conclusion The application of PRP alone or in combination with BMSCs could promote the clinical healing rate of meniscal white‐white zone injury.

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