Sustained BMP-2 delivery via alginate microbeads and polydopamine-coated 3D-Printed PCL/β-TCP scaffold enhances bone regeneration in long bone segmental defects.

Background/objective: Repair of long bone defects remains a major challenge in clinical practice, necessitating the use of bone grafts, growth factors, and mechanical stability. Hence, a combination therapy involving a 3D-printed polycaprolactone (PCL)/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffold coated with polydopamine (PDA) and alginate microbeads (AM) for sustained delivery of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) was investigated to treat long bone segmental defects.

Methods: Several in vitro analyses were performed to evaluate the scaffold osteogenic effects in vitro such as PDA surface modification, namely, hydrophilicity and cell adhesion; cytotoxicity and BMP-2 release kinetics using CCK-8 assay and ELISA, respectively; osteogenic differentiation in canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs); formation of mineralized nodules using ALP staining and ARS staining; and mRNA expression of osteogenic differentiation markers using RT-qPCR.

Anti-inflammatory effects of polydeoxyribonucleotide and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a canine cell model of osteoarthritis.

Importance: A relatively new therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis (OA), polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), shows potential in treating human OA due to its regenerative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, studies on PDRN for canine OA are limited, and no study has investigated their use with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) conventionally used for OA treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of PDRN and explore its combined effect with adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AdMSCs) in treating canine OA.

Medial patellar luxation induces cartilage erosion in dogs: a retrospective study of prevalence and risk factors.

Objective: To explain the relationship between cartilage erosion and medial patellar luxation (MPL) and to identify risk factors in dogs.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 90 dogs (103 stifles) surgically treated for MPL between January 2006 and March 2024. Data collected included signalment, side of operated stifle, patellar luxation grade, symptom duration, and lameness score.

Cervical spine reconstruction after total vertebrectomy using customized three-dimensional-printed implants in dogs.

Background: Sufficient surgical resection is necessary for effective tumor control, but is usually limited for vertebral tumors, especially in the cervical spine in small animal neurosurgery.

Objective: To evaluate the primary stability and safety of customized three-dimensional (3D)-printed implants for cervical spine reconstruction after total vertebrectomy.

Methods: Customized guides and implants were designed based on computed tomography (CT) imaging of five beagle cadavers and were 3D-printed.

Three-dimensional-printed patient-specific guides for tibial deformity correction in small-breed dogs.

Objective: To describe the use of patient-specific 3-D-printed osteotomy, reduction, and compression guides for tibial closing wedge osteotomy in small-breed dogs.

Animals: 6 dogs with unilateral tibial deformities.

Methods: Six small-breed dogs with 1 or a combination of tibial deformities, including excessive tibial plateau angle, valgus, and torsion, were scheduled to undergo tibial closing wedge osteotomy using patient-specific 3-D-printed osteotomy, reduction, and compression guides.

Transplantation of Heat-Shock Preconditioned Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells Combined with RGD-Functionalised Hydrogel Promotes Spinal Cord Functional Recovery in a Rat Hemi-Transection Model.

Background: Neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) transplantation in spinal cord injury (SCI) is a potential treatment that supports regeneration by promoting neuroprotection, remyelination, and neurite outgrowth. However, glial scarring hinders neuroregeneration and reduces the efficiency of cell transplantation. The present study aimed to enhance this neuroregeneration by surgically removing the glial scar and transplanting heat-shock (HS) preconditioned NSPCs in combination with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-functionalised hydrogel in a rat spinal cord hemi-transection model.

Neural stem/progenitor cells from adult canine cervical spinal cord have the potential to differentiate into neural lineage cells.

Background: • Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) are multipotent self-renewing cells that can be isolated from the brain or spinal cord. As they need to be isolated from neural tissues, it is difficult to study human NSPCs. To facilitate NSPC research, we attempted to isolate NSPCs from dogs, as dogs share the environment and having many similar diseases with humans.

A shape memory alloy implant can be an effective surgical treatment in the atlantoaxial joint stabilization using rabbits as substitutes for toy-breed dogs.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of using shape memory alloy (SMA) implants for atlantoaxial joint stabilization using a rabbit model as a substitute for canines.

Animals: 20 rabbit cadavers.

Methods: We prepared rabbit cadavers from the middle of the skull to the third cervical vertebra.

Heat-Shock Proteins Can Potentiate the Therapeutic Ability of Cryopreserved Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury in Dogs.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are applied in the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) because of their neural tissue restoring ability. In the clinical setting, intravenous injection of cryopreserved cells is essential for the immediate treatment of SCI, exhibiting the disadvantage of reduced cell properties.

Methods: In this study, we potentiated the characteristics of cryopreserved MSCs by heat-shock (HS) treatment to induce the expression of HS protein (HSP) HSP70/HSP27 and further improved antioxidant capacity by overexpressing HSP32 (heme oxygenase-1 [HO-1]).

Intravenous Administration of Heat Shock-Treated MSCs Can Improve Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration in Canine Spinal Cord Injury Model.

Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a promising treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI). However, many transplanted cells die within a few days, eventually limiting the efficacy of cellular therapy. To overcome this problem, we focused on the potential of heat shock (HS) proteins in facilitating recovery from cell damage and protecting against cytotoxicity.

Therapeutic effects of platelet derived growth factor overexpressed-mesenchymal stromal cells and sheets in canine skin wound healing model.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (Ad-MSCs) have excellent potential for skin wound repair. Moreover, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has strong wound healing properties. The purpose of the present study was to compare the healing effects of PDGF-overexpressing canine allogeneic Ad-MSCs (PDGF-MSCs) and their cell sheets (PDGF-CSs) as compared to unexpressed Ad-MSCs (U-MSCs) and their cell sheets (UCSs) in a cutaneous wound healing model induced upon dogs.