BMP-9 and TGF-β3 Synergistically Regulate Chondrogenic Pathways in Bovine Synovial Fluid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BSF-MSCs) in Transwell Co-Culture with Chondrocytes


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AKGÜN E. E., Erdogan M., Altunbas K.

Pakistan Veterinary Journal, cilt.45, sa.1, ss.138-148, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 45 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.29261/pakvetj/2025.132
  • Dergi Adı: Pakistan Veterinary Journal
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.138-148
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: BMP-9, Chondrogenic differentiation, Mesenchymal stem cells, Synovial fluid-derived, TGF-β3, Transwell co-culture
  • Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative condition affecting joints, has significantly risen in recent years. The primary pathogenic characteristic of OA encompasses the destruction of articular cartilage. Synovial fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SF-MSCs) are considered a promising stem cell resource for healing cartilage defects due to their inherent multilineage differentiation capacity. Our study aimed to assess the chondrogenic differentiation potential of BSF-MSCs in a transwell co-culture system with chondrocytes. SF-MSCs were isolated, cultured, and characterized for multilineage differentiation potential. SF-MSCs were cultured with varying combinations of chondrogenic growth factors, including BMP-9 (10ng/mL) and TGF-β3 (10ng/mL), over 21 days in a transwell co-culture system along with chondrocytes. At the end of the experiment, the cells were analyzed for morphological assessments, immunofluorescence staining for COL-II, Alcian blue staining for glycosaminoglycan deposition, and real-time PCR for chondrogenic marker-specific markers including COL2A1, SOX9, ACAN, and for hypertrophic markers COL10A1. The results of real-time PCR revealed significant upregulation of COL2A1 (P<0.001), SOX9 (P<0.05), and ACAN (P<0.05) in experimental groups. These findings highlight the role of BMP-9 and TGF-β3 in enhancing chondrogenesis through BSF-MSCs and chondrocyte interactions.