The role of the immune microenvironment in bone, cartilage, and soft tissue regeneration: from mechanism to therapeutic opportunity.

Bone, cartilage, and soft tissue regeneration is a complex spatiotemporal process recruiting a variety of cell types, whose activity and interplay must be precisely mediated for effective healing post-injury. Although extensive strides have been made in the understanding of the immune microenvironment processes governing bone, cartilage, and soft tissue regeneration, effective clinical translation of these mechanisms remains a challenge. Regulation of the immune microenvironment is increasingly becoming a favorable target for bone, cartilage, and soft tissue regeneration; therefore, an in-depth understanding of the communication between immune cells and functional tissue cells would be valuable. Herein, we review the regulatory role of the immune microenvironment in the promotion and maintenance of stem cell states in the context of bone, cartilage, and soft tissue repair and regeneration. We discuss the roles of various immune cell subsets in bone, cartilage, and soft tissue repair and regeneration processes and introduce novel strategies, for example, biomaterial-targeting of immune cell activity, aimed at regulating healing. Understanding the mechanisms of the crosstalk between the immune microenvironment and regeneration pathways may shed light on new therapeutic opportunities for enhancing bone, cartilage, and soft tissue regeneration through regulation of the immune microenvironment.

Edaravone ameliorates compression-induced damage in rat nucleus pulposus cells.

AIMS: Edaravone is a strong free radical scavenger most used for treating acute ischemic stroke. In this study we investigated the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of edaravone on compression-induced damage in rat nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viability was determined using MTT assay methods. NP cell apoptosis was measured by Hoechst 33,258 staining and Annexin V/PI double staining. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) were determined by fluorescent probes DCFH-DA, JC-1 and Fluo-3/AM, respectively. Apoptosis-related proteins (cleaved caspase-3, cytosolic cytochrome c, Bax and Bcl-2) and extracellular matrix proteins (aggrecan and collagen II) were analyzed by western blot. KEY FINDINGS: Edaravone attenuated the compression-induced decrease in viability of NP cells in a dose-dependent manner. 33,258 and Annexin V/PI double staining showed that edaravone protected NP cells from compression-induced apoptosis. Further studies confirmed that edaravone protected NP cells against compression-induced mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis by inhibiting overproduction of ROS, collapse of MMP and overload of [Ca2+]i. In addition, edaravone promoted the expression of aggrecan and collagen II in compression-treated NP cells. SIGNIFICANCE: These results strongly indicate that edaravone ameliorates compression-induced damage in rat nucleus pulposus cells. Edaravone could be a potential new drug for treatment of IDD.

Active carbon-ceramic sphere as support of ruthenium catalysts for catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of resin effluent.

Active carbon-ceramic sphere as support of ruthenium catalysts were evaluated through the catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of resin effluent in a packed-bed reactor. Active carbon-ceramic sphere and ruthenium catalysts were characterized by N(2) adsorption and chemisorption measurements. BET surface area and total pore volume of active carbon (AC) in the active carbon-ceramic sphere increase with increasing KOH-to-carbon ratio, and AC in the sample KC-120 possesses values as high as 1100 m(2) g(-1) and 0.69 cm(3) g(-1) (carbon percentage: 4.73 wt.%), especially. Active carbon-ceramic sphere supported ruthenium catalysts were prepared using the RuCl(3) solution impregnation onto these supports, the ruthenium loading was fixed at 1-5 wt.% of AC in the support. The catalytic activity varies according to the following order: Ru/KC-120>Ru/KC-80>Ru/KC-60>KC-120>without catalysts. It is found that the 3 wt.% Ru/KC-120 catalyst displays highest stability in the CWAO of resin effluent during 30 days. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and phenol removal were about 92% and 96%, respectively at the reaction temperature of 200 degrees C, oxygen pressure of 1.5 MPa, the water flow rate of 0.75 L h(-1) and the oxygen flow rate of 13.5 L h(-1).