Research and development of sheet scaffold for meniscal repair

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09418
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University
• Principal Investigator: Otsuki Shuhei 大阪医科薬科大学, 医学部, 講師 (20589840)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 半月板 / シート / 再生基材

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a novel meniscus sheet scaffold (Meniscus Sheet Scaffold; MSS) composed of polyglycolic acid (PGA) and poly(L-lactic acid)-caprolactone copolymer (P(LA/CL)). In this study, we performed meniscus lapping treatment using the developed sheet and investigated its effectiveness.
Results: The tensile strength of MSS was maintained more than 90% from the initial point to 4 weeks after hydrolysis, and more than 60% of the strength was maintained after 8 weeks. The cell viability ratio was increased from 2 to 4 weeks. Cartilage degeneration was suppressed in the MSS group.
Conclusion: Meniscus wrapping treatment with MSS may be useful for improving the environment of poor meniscus injury, promoting cell uptake and proliferation into the injured area, and accelerating meniscus healing from early stage, which may be useful for good histological repair of the meniscus and suppressing the progression of cartilage degeneration relative to the meniscus.

Free Research Field

再生医療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

縫合困難な半月板損傷に対する治療は部分切除が主に行われるが、切除後の変形性膝関節症増悪が問題である。ポリグリコール酸(PGA)とポリL乳酸-カプロラクトン共重合体(P(LA/CL))からなる2層性新規半月板シートを用いた半月板ラッピング治療は、劣悪な半月板損傷の環境を改善することで、損傷部への細胞取り込みと増殖を促進し、早期から半月板治癒の促進効果が明らかとなり、半月板の良好な組織学的修復と相対する軟骨の変性進行抑制に有用な可能性が示唆された。