2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (3): 339-345

Effects of hyaluronic acid combined with domestic porous tantalum on chondrocyte function under the dynamic environment

Zhang Hui1, Wang Jiayang2, Wang Qian3, 4, Gan Hongquan2, Wang Zhiqiang2   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The effect of composite culture of scaffold materials and biological factors on chondrocyte function in different conditions is a hot topic in the research of tissue-engineered materials.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hyaluronic acid combined with domestic porous tantalum on the function of rat chondrocytes under the dynamic environment.
METHODS: Knee chondrocytes of SD rats were extracted and cultured. Five groups of experiments were established as static culture group (group A), tantalum static group (group B), tantalum hyaluronic acid static group (group C), tantalum dynamic group (in the dynamic bottle rotation, two-way alternating forward and reverse rotation; the rotation angle is 40°, 40 r/h; group D), and tantalum hyaluronic acid dynamic group (in the dynamic bottle rotation, two-way alternating forward and reverse rotation; the rotation angle is 40°, 40 r/h; group E). The samples were continuously cultured for 7 days in the five groups. Cell morphology on materials was observed under a scanning electron microscope. The secretion of proteoglycan, type II collagen and SOX9 was detected by ELISA. The expression levels of proteoglycan, type II collagen and SOX9 protein were detected by western blot assay.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Scanning electron microscope observation showed that with the prolongation of static culture time, the number of chondrocytes in group C gradually increased, and gradually covered the surface of tantalum material. (2) On the 5th day of culture, the secretion of proteoglycan and type II collagen in group C was higher than that in groups A and B (P < 0.05). The secretion of SOX9 in group D was lower than that in group E (P < 0.05). The secretion of proteoglycan and type II collagen in group B was lower than that in group D (P < 0.05). The secretion of proteoglycan and type II collagen in group C was lower than that in group E (P < 0.05). (3) On the 5th day of culture, the expression of type II collagen in group C was higher than that in group B (P < 0.05), and the expression of proteoglycan and type II collagen in group D was higher than that in group B (P < 0.05). The expression levels of proteoglycan and type II collagen in group E were higher than those in group C (P < 0.05). (4) These findings suggest that the combination of domestic porous tantalum and hyaluronic acid can promote the secretion and protein expression of proteoglycan and type II collagen in chondrocytes. Under dynamic environment culture, the secretion and protein expression of proteoglycan and type II collagen are better than in static culture. SOX9 secretion and protein expression are not affected by the dynamic and static culture environments.  
Key words: porous tantalum, hyaluronic acid, dynamic culture, chondrocytes, type II collagen, proteoglycan, SOX9