Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have recently been widely used to treat osteoarthritis (OA). Our prior research shows that tropoelastin (TE) increases MSC activity and protects knee cartilage from OA-related degradation. The underlying mechanism might be that TE regulates the paracrine of MSCs. Exosomes (Exos), the paracrine secretion of MSCs, have been found to protect chondrocytes, reduce inflammation, and preserve the cartilage matrix. In this study, we used Exos derived from TE-pretreated adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) (TE-ExoADSCs) as an injection medium, and compared it with Exos derived from unpretreated ADSCs (ExoADSCs). We found that TE-ExoADSCs could effectively enhance the matrix synthesis of chondrocytes in vitro. Moreover, TE pretreatment increased the ability of ADSCs to secrete Exos. In addition, compared with ExoADSCs, TE-ExoADSCs exhibited therapeutic effects in the anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)-induced OA model. Further, we observed that TE altered the microRNA expression in ExoADSCs and identified one differentially upregulated microRNA: miR-451-5p. In conclusion, TE-ExoADSCs helped maintain the chondrocyte phenotype in vitro, and promoted cartilage repair in vivo. These therapeutic effects might be related with the altered expression of miR-451-5p in the ExoADSCs. Thus, the intra-articular delivery of Exos derived from ADSCs with TE pretreatment could be a new approach to treat OA.
Keywords: adipose-derived stem cells; articular cartilage; exosomes; osteoarthritis; tropoelastin.