Aurelio Muttini1, Valentina Russo1, Elisabetta Rossi2, Mauro Mattioli1, Barbara Barboni1, Umberto Tosi1, Nicola Maffulli3, Luca Valbonetti1, Michele Abate4. 1. Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences,University of Teramo, Italy. 2. Viral Vaccines Institute, Serum and Diagnostics, Abruzzo and Molise Region Experimental Animal Health Care Institute "G. Caporale" (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy. 3. Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Salerno, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, Salerno, Italy; Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, London, UK. 4. Department of Medicine and Science of Aging, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti Scalo, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: amnion-derived stem cells are considered a promising alternative source for tendon tissue regeneration. PURPOSE: aims of this paper were to illustrate the ultrasound and histological outcomes following the treatment of acute and chronic superficial digital flexor tendon spontaneous lesions in horses with ovine amniotic epithelial cells xenotransplantation. METHODS: six adult horses suffering from unilateral acute (4 cases) and chronic (2 cases) tendinopathy (clinical and ultrasound diagnosis) were enrolled. At baseline, ovine amniotic epithelial cells were grafted, in sterile conditions and under ultra-sound control, into the most damaged area. Ultra-sound controls were performed at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after cells implantation; after horse euthanasia (180 days) tendon samples were collected and submitted to histological examination (cellularity, extracellular matrix fiber organization, blood vessels). RESULTS: at baseline, in the acute cases, the ultra-sound exam showed a focal, dis-homogeneous, hypo-echoic area into the superficial digital flexor tendon, with loss of the normal fibrillar pattern, while in the chronic cases the damaged tendon area appeared thickened and completely hyper-echoic. At the final follow-up tendon echotexture was more regular, the cross-sectional area similar to the contra-lateral limb, and the collagen fibers were oriented in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tendon both in the acute and chronic cases, suggesting a positive healing response. These findings were supported by the histological analyses which showed an almost complete restoration of normal tendon architecture with an optimal alignment of tendon fibers. CONCLUSIONS: the present pilot study supports the hypothesis that amniotic epithelial cells are provided of an excellent healing potential and shows a very good correlation between the ultrasound findings and the histologic features.
BACKGROUND: amnion-derived stem cells are considered a promising alternative source for tendon tissue regeneration. PURPOSE: aims of this paper were to illustrate the ultrasound and histological outcomes following the treatment of acute and chronic superficial digital flexor tendon spontaneous lesions in horses with ovine amniotic epithelial cells xenotransplantation. METHODS: six adult horses suffering from unilateral acute (4 cases) and chronic (2 cases) tendinopathy (clinical and ultrasound diagnosis) were enrolled. At baseline, ovine amniotic epithelial cells were grafted, in sterile conditions and under ultra-sound control, into the most damaged area. Ultra-sound controls were performed at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after cells implantation; after horse euthanasia (180 days) tendon samples were collected and submitted to histological examination (cellularity, extracellular matrix fiber organization, blood vessels). RESULTS: at baseline, in the acute cases, the ultra-sound exam showed a focal, dis-homogeneous, hypo-echoic area into the superficial digital flexor tendon, with loss of the normal fibrillar pattern, while in the chronic cases the damaged tendon area appeared thickened and completely hyper-echoic. At the final follow-up tendon echotexture was more regular, the cross-sectional area similar to the contra-lateral limb, and the collagen fibers were oriented in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tendon both in the acute and chronic cases, suggesting a positive healing response. These findings were supported by the histological analyses which showed an almost complete restoration of normal tendon architecture with an optimal alignment of tendon fibers. CONCLUSIONS: the present pilot study supports the hypothesis that amniotic epithelial cells are provided of an excellent healing potential and shows a very good correlation between the ultrasound findings and the histologic features.
Authors: B Barboni; V Russo; V Curini; A Mauro; A Martelli; A Muttini; N Bernabò; L Valbonetti; M Marchisio; O Di Giacinto; P Berardinelli; M Mattioli Journal: Cell Transplant Date: 2012-04-10 Impact factor: 4.064
Authors: A Muttini; L Valbonetti; M Abate; A Colosimo; V Curini; A Mauro; P Berardinelli; V Russo; D Cocciolone; M Marchisio; M Mattioli; U Tosi; M Podaliri Vulpiani; B Barboni Journal: Res Vet Sci Date: 2012-09-03 Impact factor: 2.534
Authors: Iris Ribitsch; Pedro M Baptista; Anna Lange-Consiglio; Luca Melotti; Marco Patruno; Florien Jenner; Eva Schnabl-Feichter; Luke C Dutton; David J Connolly; Frank G van Steenbeek; Jayesh Dudhia; Louis C Penning Journal: Front Bioeng Biotechnol Date: 2020-08-13