Assessment of human cartilage regeneration in a patient with knee osteoarthritis using autologous adipose-tissue-derived stem cells and Platelet-rich plasma: a case study

Cartilage regenerative pharmaceutical agents have received considerable attention due to their ability to inhibit disease progression in osteoarthritis (OA). The use of adipose-derived stem cells(ADSCs) has been suggested as a reliable method for OA treatment owing to their potential to differentiate into several cell lines and their self-renewal and repair capacity. The present study aimed to assess ADSCs in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of a patient with knee OA. A 53-year-old man with OA was selected for this treatment. The human abdominal subcutaneous adipose sample was obtained from the patient with knee OA. Stem cells were obtained from adipose tissue of abdominal origin by digesting lipoaspirate tissue with collagenase. ADSCs were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fasting blood sugar (FBS). Moreover, ADSCs were expanded and characterized by flow cytometry. These stem cells, along with PRP and calcium chloride, were injected into the right knee. Pre-treatment and post-treatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, physical therapy, and pain score data were then analyzed. MRI revealed significant positive changes demonstrating probable cartilage regeneration in the patient. Along with MRI evidence, the measured physical therapy outcomes, subjective pain, and functional status all improved. Therefore, it can be concluded that autologous ADSC injection, in conjunction with PRP, is a promising minimally invasive therapy for osteoarthritis of human knees. The present clinical case report demonstrated that a combination of percutaneous injection of autologous ADSCs and PRP may be able to regenerate cartilage in human knee OA.