Stem cell-homing hydrogel-based miR-29b-5p delivery promotes cartilage regeneration by suppressing senescence in an osteoarthritis rat model

Sci Adv. 2022 Apr;8(13):eabk0011. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abk0011. Epub 2022 Mar 30.

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease characterized by progressive loss of cartilage and reduction in lubricating synovial fluid, which lacks effective treatments currently. Here, we propose a hydrogel-based miRNA delivery strategy to rejuvenate impaired cartilage by creating a regenerative microenvironment to mitigate chondrocyte senescence that mainly contributes to cartilage breakdown during OA development. An aging-related miRNA, miR-29b-5p, was first found to be markedly down-regulated in OA cartilage, and their up-regulation suppressed the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and senescence-associated genes (P16INK4a/P21) via ten-eleven-translocation enzyme 1 (TET1). An injectable bioactive self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel was applied to deliver agomir-29b-5p, which was functionalized by conjugating a stem cell-homing peptide SKPPGTSS for endogenous synovial stem cell recruitment simultaneously. Sustained miR-29b-5p delivery and recruitment of synovial stem cells and their subsequent differentiation into chondrocytes led to successful cartilage repair and chondrocyte rejuvenation. This strategy enables miRNA-based therapeutic modality to become a viable alternative for surgery in OA treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cartilage, Articular* / metabolism
  • Hydrogels / therapeutic use
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Osteoarthritis* / genetics
  • Osteoarthritis* / therapy
  • Rats
  • Regeneration
  • Stem Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • MicroRNAs