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Autologous microfragmented adipose tissue reduces inflammatory and catabolic markers in supraspinatus tendon cells derived from patients affected by rotator cuff tears

International Orthopaedics volume 45, pages 419–426 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Rotator cuff tears are common musculoskeletal disorders, and surgical repair is characterized by a high rate of re-tear. Regenerative medicine strategies, in particular mesenchymal stem cell–based therapies, have been proposed to enhance tendon healing and reduce the re-tear rate. Autologous microfragmented adipose tissue (μFAT) allows for the clinical application of cell therapies and showed the ability to improve tenocyte proliferation and viability in previous in vitro assessments. The hypothesis of this study is that μFAT paracrine action would reduce the catabolic and inflammatory marker expression in tendon cells (TCs) derived from injured supraspinatus tendon (SST).

Methods

TCs derived from injured SST were co-cultured with autologous μFAT in transwell for 48 h. Metabolic activity, DNA content, the content of soluble mediators in the media, and the gene expression of tendon-specific, inflammatory, and catabolic markers were analyzed.

Results

μFAT-treated TCs showed a reduced expression of PTGS2 and MMP-3 with respect to untreated controls. Increased IL-1Ra, VEGF, and IL-6 content were observed in the media of μFAT-treated samples, in comparison with untreated TCs.

Conclusion

μFAT exerted an anti-inflammatory action on supraspinatus tendon cells in vitro through paracrine action, resulting in the reduction of catabolic and inflammatory marker expression. These observations potentially support the use of μFAT as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of rotator cuff disease.

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Funding

This research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health “Ricerca Corrente.”

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Author notes

  1. Pietro Randelli and Laura de Girolamo contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopedics Biotechnology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, via Riccardo Galeazzi 4, 20161, Milan, Italy

    Marco Viganò, Gaia Lugano, Carlotta Perucca Orfei, Enrico Ragni, Alessandra Colombini, Paola De Luca & Laura de Girolamo

  2. Laboratory of Applied Biomechanics, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 31, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Menon & Pietro Randelli

  3. 1° Clinica Ortopedica, ASST Centro Specialistico Ortopedico Traumatologico Gaetano Pini-CTO, Piazza Cardinal Ferrari 1, 20122, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Menon & Pietro Randelli

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  1. Marco Viganò
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  2. Gaia Lugano
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  3. Carlotta Perucca Orfei
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Correspondence to Carlotta Perucca Orfei.

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L.d.G.: paid consultant for Lipogems SpA. The other authors have no conflict of interest.

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Viganò, M., Lugano, G., Perucca Orfei, C. et al. Autologous microfragmented adipose tissue reduces inflammatory and catabolic markers in supraspinatus tendon cells derived from patients affected by rotator cuff tears. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 45, 419–426 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-020-04693-9

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