Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Membrane-Coated Mitochondria Restore Tendon Stromal Cell Function Through Metabolic Reprogramming and Promote Achilles Tendon Healing
Source abstract
Abstract
Achilles tendon rupture often leads to poor functional recovery due to limited self-healing, with mitochondrial dysfunction in tendon stromal cells (TSCs) being a key factor in disease progression. Here, we developed adipose-derived stromal cell (ADSC) membrane-coated mitochondria (Mito-NPs) to target this dysfunction and evaluate their therapeutic potential for tendon repair. Mito-NPs exhibited uniform size, stable surface charge, and effective membrane coating. In lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory TSCs, Mito-NPs enhanced oxidative phosphorylation, improved mitochondrial metabolic homeostasis, and reshaped gene expression profiles to normalize TSC functional phenotypes, including inflammation, migration, and collagen synthesis. When encapsulated in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive hydrogel (Mito-NPs@HG) and implanted into rat Achilles tendon injuries, Mito-NPs@HG improved gait function, decreased local inflammation, and promoted histological repair of damaged tendons by enhancing collagen organization and reducing inflammation. Our findings demonstrate that ADSC membrane-coated mitochondria effectively rescue TSC dysfunction and facilitate tendon regeneration, providing a promising translational strategy for treating tendon injuries.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Tendon Structure and Treatment · Mesenchymal stem cell research · Pain Management and Treatment
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Sports Medicine, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China
Musculoskeletal Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Funding
R&D Program of Beijing Municipal Education Commission · Beijing Jishuitan Research Funding · National Natural Science Foundation of China
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