Novel scaffold containing transforming growth factor-β1 DNA for cartilage tissue engineering

The current progression in tissue engineering and local gene delivery systems has enhanced applications for cartilage tissue engineering. In this study, porous chitosan/collagen scaffolds were prepared through a freeze-drying process and loaded with plasmid encoding human transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1). Human bone marrow stem cells were seeded in this scaffold, and gene transfection was traced by enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The expression of type II collagen and aggrecan was detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and cell proliferation was measured every day for six days using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetra-zoliumbromide assay. The pore diameter of the gene-combined scaffolds was lower than that of the pure chitosan/collagen scaffold. The scaffold containing TGF beta 1 plasmid exhibited the highest proliferation rate, and the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan was upregulated in the pEGFP-TGF beta 1 scaffold. The potential for chitosan/collagen scaffold combined with pEGFP-TGF beta 1 as a substrate candidate in cartilage tissue engineering has been investigated.