Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 Laboratory for Stem Cell Research, Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 PhD Student in Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to create biomaterial scaffolds like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) containing stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF1) as a chemokine to induce hyaline cartilage regeneration of rabbit knee in a full thickness defect.Methods: We created a full thickness defect in the trochlear groove of thirty-six bilateral knees of eighteen mature male rabbits. The knees were randomly divided into six groups (group I: untreated control, group II: PRP, group III: PRF, group IV: Gelatin+SDF1, group V: PRP+SDF1, and group VI: PRF+SDF1). After four weeks, the tissue specimens were evaluated by macroscopic examination and histological grading, immunofluorescent staining for collagen type II, and analyzed for cartilage marker genes by real-time PCR. The data were compared using statistical methods (SPSS 20, Kruskal-Wallis test, Bonferroni post hoc test and P<0.05).Results: Macroscopic evaluations revealed that international cartilage repair society (ICRS) scores of the PRF+SDF1 group were higher than other groups. Microscopic analysis showed that the ICRS score of the PRP group was significantly lower than other groups. Immunofluorescent staining for collagen II demonstrated a remarkable distribution of type II collagen in the Gel+SDF1, PRP+SDF1 and PRF+SDF1 groups compared with other groups. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that mRNA expression of SOX9 and aggrecan were significantly greater in the PRF+SDF1, PRP+SDF1, Gel+SDF1 and PRF groups than the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion: Our results indicate that implantation of PRF scaffold containing SDF1 led to the greatest evaluation scores of full-thickness lesions in rabbits.

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