Effect of icariin on the chondrogenesis of human adipose derived stem cells on poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid/fibrin composite scaffold

Abstract

Objective: Icariin (ICA), a Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been demonstrated to be a promoting compound for extracellular matrix synthesis and gene expression of chondrocytes. Design: In the present study, human adipose derived stem cells (hADSCs) were cultivated in poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA)/fibrin composite scaffold with a chondrogenic medium with and without icariin for 14 days; ICA was added to the same chondrogenic medium but without TGF-beta 3 throughout the culture period at a concentration of 1x10(-5)M. Characterization techniques X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were performed for PLGA and PLGA/fibrin scaffolds. Cell morphology was observed using an inverted microscope. chondrogenic differentiation markers, including collagen II, aggrecan and SOX9, were detected by Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). Hypertrophic and Fibrous differentiation was also analyzed using gene expression type X and. collagen. Cell viability in each scaffold were evaluated using MTT chondrogenic assay. Results: MTT results show that viability in the icariin group, is higher than TGF-beta group but not significant (P >= 0.05). Also reveals that cell viability were significantly different (P <= 0.05) between Group TGF-beta and ICA compared to control group. The results of real-time PCR show that SOX9, type II collagen and aggrecan gene expression in the group having TGF-beta and ICA are higher than the control group. Also SOX9, type II collagen and aggrecan gene expression in the ICA group is significantly higher (P< 0.05) than the TGF-beta group. The results of real-time PCR show that type X and. collagen gene expression in the group affected by ICA, is lower than TGF-beta group. But type X and. collagen gene expression didn't have any significant differences between control and ICA group. Conclusions: These results indicated that hADSCs containing the ICA in PLGA/fibrin composite scaffold are an effective way to potentially enhance articular cartilage regeneration with less hypertrophy.