Effects of cartilage-derived morphogenetic protein 1 (CDMP1) transgenic mesenchymal stem cell sheets in repairing rabbit cartilage defects.

The aim of this study was to investigate the abilities of cartilage-derived morphogenetic protein 1 (CDMP1) transgenic cell sheets in repairing rabbit cartilage defects. Rabbit CDMP1 transgenic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) sheets (CDMP1-BMSCs) were cultured on temperature-sensitive culture dishes, and CDMP1 expression and type II collagen protein in the cell sheets were detected. Tissue-engineered cell sheets were constructed and transplanted into defect rabbit thyroid cartilage, to investigate the expression of engineered cartilage collagen protein and proteoglycan (GAG). The experiment was divided into three groups; A) BMSC sheet, B) Ad-CMV-eGFP-transfected cell sheet, and C) Ad-CMV-hCDMP1-IRES-eGFP-transfected cell sheet. The expression of CDMP1 was detected in the transgenic cell sheets. The engineered cartilage exhibited positive immunohistochemical and Alcian blue staining. The expression levels of type II collagen protein and GAG in group A were positive, whereas those in group B and group C were negative (P < 0.05). The CDMP1-BMSC sheets had a good cartilage differentiation activity, and could effectively repair rabbit laryngeal cartilage defects.