METHODS: Hepatotoxicity was induced in adult female Wistar rats using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ). Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into six groups with six rats in each group: Group 1 (normal control group), Group 2 (received only CCl 4 ), Group 3 (CCl 4 +low dose BM-MSCs), Group 4 (CCl 4 +high dose BM-MSCs), Group 5 (CCl 4 + silymarin), Group 6 (CCl 4 +silymarin+high dose BM-MSCs). Thirty days after the treatment, blood samples were collected for hepatocyte growth factor estimation. The rats were then killed, bone marrow was extracted for chromosomal aberration assay. Liver tissue was processed for evaluating the DNA fragmentation assay, histopathology, and scanning electron microscopy study.
RESULTS: Combination treatment of silymarin and high dose BM-MSCs significantly (P
METHODS: Artifically created full thickness cartilage defects were made on the weight-bearing region of medial femoral condyles in bilateral knees of New Zealand White rabbits (N = 30). After one month, the right knee was treated with either i) PRC (n = 10), ii) MSCs (n = 10), or, iii) a combination of PRC and MSCs (PRC + MSC) (n = 10), all encapsulated in alginate. The left knee remained untreated (control). Rabbits were sacrificed at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Cartilage tissue regeneration was accessed using ICRS morphologic scoring, histologic grading by O'Driscoll scoring, immunohistochemical staining and quantitative analysis of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) per total protein content.
RESULTS: At 3 months, transplantation using PRC alone was equally effective as MSCs in inducing the repair of cartilage defects. However, PRC + MSC resulted in significantly higher ICRS and O'Driscoll scores (p