Sustained low-dose dexamethasone delivery via a PLGA microsphere-embedded agarose implant for enhanced osteochondral repair.

ABSTRACT: Articular cartilage defects are a common source of joint pain and dysfunction. We hypothesized that sustained low-dose dexamethasone (DEX) delivery via an acellular osteochondral implant would have a dual pro-anabolic and anti-catabolic effect, both supporting the functional integrity of adjacent graft and host tissue while also attenuating inflammation caused by iatrogenic injury. An acellular agarose hydrogel carrier with embedded DEX-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres (DLMS) was developed to provide sustained release for at least 99 days. The DLMS implant was first evaluated in an in vitro pro-inflammatory model of cartilage degradation. The implant was chondroprotective, as indicated by maintenance of Young's modulus (E_Y) (p = 0.92) and GAG content (p =

SUBMITTER: Stefani RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6956850 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature