The Impact of Wharton's Jelly-derived Exosomes on the Production of Inflammatory Mediators from HIG-82 Synoviocytes.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease worldwide. Routine treatment options are limited, and total knee replacement surgeries often come with complications. In recent years, the use of biologics, such as Wharton's jelly (Wj) derived from the umbilical cord (UC), has gained popularity. While mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from Wj show promise in restoring articular cartilage, they also have some limitations. Recent studies have indicated that exosomes isolated from acellular Wj may offer advantages under certain conditions.

Objective: To investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of exosomes isolated from Wj in synoviocytes.

Methods: Decellularization of Wj was performed using sterile umbilical cords obtained from patients. Next, the exosomes were isolated from Wj using ultracentrifugation. After characterizing the exosomes, they were co-cultured with inflammatory synovial fibroblast cells (HIG-82) for 24 hours. Then, the gene expression levels and protein contents of some important inflammatory mediators including metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were measured in the cells using real-time PCR and ELISA tests, respectively.

Results: The expression levels of MMP-13, COX-2, and iNOS genes were significantly reduced in the cultured cells treated with exosomes compared to untreated cells. Moreover, the content of MMP-13, COX-2, and iNOS proteins were significantly lower in the supernatant of the cultured cells compared to the control.

Conclusion: Wj-derived exosomes exhibit notable anti-inflammatory properties, which can help mitigate inflammation in the synovial environment of joints. However, further research is required to fully understand their benefits and potential applications in treating osteoarthritis.