Comparison of efficacy of therapy with stem cells originating from bone marrow and adipose tissue in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis in rat

Abstract

Introduction: The debilitating symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis, the high prevalence of this disease and its economic burden have caused the search for newer and more effective treatments to be of great importance. Injection of undifferentiated stem cells is one of the less invasive methods that few studies have used in the treatment of TMJ osteoarthritis. Objective: To compare the effect of treatment with stem cells from bone marrow and fat in TMJ osteoarthritis in rats. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 40 rats were divided into four groups: (1) control group (no induction of TMJ osteoarthritis + no treatment) (2) untreated osteoarthritis group (3) Intervention group 1 (induction of TMJ osteoarthritis + receiving stem cells derived from bone marrow); (4) intervention group 2 (induction of TMJ osteoarthritis + receiving stem cells derived from fat). Four weeks after the intervention, the condyle sample was examined under a light microscope and the study groups were compared in terms of different outcomes related to the synovial membrane. Results: Synovial membrane hyperplasia, vascular vasodilatation, fibrin deposition, synovial adhesion and severity of synovitis were more in group 2 (untreated osteoarthritis group) than group 1 (control). These outcomes in groups 3 and 4 (treatment with stem cells derived from bone marrow and fat) were less than group 2. Synovial membrane hyperplasia in group 4 was less than group 3 while fibrin deposition in group 3 was less than group 4, but no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of other outcomes.

Conclusions: Freund's adjuvant injection in the TMJ is associated with increased evidence of synovial inflammation, and the injection of stem cells derived from bone marrow or fat can reduce the microscopic evidence of this inflammation and the severity of synovitis.