SCI Stem Cells International 1687-9678 1687-966X Hindawi Publishing Corporation 10.1155/2015/323454 323454 Research Article Peripheral Blood Derived Mononuclear Cells Enhance the Migration and Chondrogenic Differentiation of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Hopper Niina nmh39@cam.ac.uk 1 Wardale John jw626@cam.ac.uk 1 Howard Daniel dh431@cam.ac.uk 1 Brooks Roger rb10003@cam.ac.uk 1 Rushton Neil nr10000@cam.ac.uk 1 Henson Frances fmdh1@cam.ac.uk 2 Roelen Bernard A. J. 1 Division of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge BC2 0QQ UK cam.ac.uk 2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES UK cam.ac.uk 2015 12 1 2015 2015 19 09 2014 09 12 2014 12 1 2015 2015 Copyright © 2015 Niina Hopper et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

A major challenge in cartilage repair is the lack of chondrogenic cells migrating from healthy tissue into damaged areas and strategies to promote this should be developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of peripheral blood derived mononuclear cell (PBMC) stimulation on mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from the infrapatellar fat pad of human OA knee. Cell migration was measured using an xCELLigence electronic migration chamber system in combination with scratch assays. Gene expression was quantified with stem cell PCR arrays and validated using quantitative real-time PCR (rtPCR). In both migration assays PBMCs increased MSC migration by comparison to control. In scratch assay the wound closure was 55% higher after 3 hours in the PBMC stimulated test group ( P = 0.002 ), migration rate was 9 times faster ( P = 0.008 ), and total MSC migration was 25 times higher after 24 hours ( P = 0.014 ). Analysis of MSCs by PCR array demonstrated that PBMCs induced the upregulation of genes associated with chondrogenic differentiation over 15-fold. In conclusion, PBMCs increase both MSC migration and differentiation suggesting that they are an ideal candidate for inclusion in regenerative medicine therapies aimed at cartilage repair.

http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000272 National Institute for Health Research