Healing articular cartilage defects remains a significant clinical challenge because of its limited capacity for self-repair. While delivery of autologous chondrocytes to cartilage defects has received growing interest, combining cell-based therapies with scaffolds that capture aspects of native tissue and promote cell-mediated remodeling could improve outcomes. Currently, scaffold-based therapies with encapsulated chondrocytes permit matrix production; however, resorption of the scaffold does not necessarily match matrix production by cells like it does in native cartilage. Here, chondrocytes were co-encapsulated with a smaller population of MSCs into a TGF-β1-functionalized MMP-degradable PEG-peptide gel, with the goal of stimulating matrix production and increasing bulk mechanical properties of the scaffold over time. Interestingly, the co-cultured cells cleaved the target sequence at a higher rate than either cell population alone.. Relative to non-degradable gels, cellularly-degraded materials showed significantly increased GAG and collagen deposition over just 14 days of culture, while maintaining high levels of viability and producing a more uniformly distributed matrix. These results indicate the potential of an enzymatically-degradable and peptide-functionalized PEG hydrogel to locally influence and promote cartilage matrix production over a short period. Scaffolds that permit cell-mediated remodeling may prove broadly useful in the design of cell delivery vehicles for cartilage tissue engineering applications.

Development of a cellularly degradable PEG hydrogel to promote articular cartilage extracellular matrix deposition

249th National Meeting (2015)

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