Cartilage Tissue Engineering Via Icariin and Adipose-derived Stem Cells in Fibrin Scaffold.

Background: Nowadays, cartilage tissue engineering is the best candidate for regeneration of cartilage defects. This study evaluates the function of herbal extracts icariin (ICA), the major pharmacological constituent of herba Epimedium , compared with transforming growth factor β3 (TGFβ3) to prove its potential effect for cartilage tissue engineering.

Materials and Methods: ICA, TGFβ3, and TGFβ3 + ICA were added fibrin-cell constructions derived from adipose tissue stem cells. After 14 days, cell viability analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H- tetrazolium bromide assay and the expression of cartilage genes was evaluated with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: The results showed ICA, TGFβ3, and TGFβ3 + ICA increased the rate of proliferation and viability of cells; but there were no significant differences between them ( P > 0.05). Furthermore, quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that cooperation of ICA with TGFβ3 showed a better effect in expression of cartilaginous specific genes and increased Sox9, type II collagen, and aggrecan expression significantly. Furthermore, the results of the expression of type I and X collagens revealed that TGFβ3 increased the expression of them ( P < 0.01); However, treatment with ICA + TGFβ3 down regulated the expression of these genes significantly.

Conclusion: The results indicated ICA could be a potential factor for chondrogenesis and in cooperation with TGFβ3 could reduce its hypertrophic effects and it is a promising factor for cartilage tissue engineering.