The regeneration of cartilage lesions still represents a major challenge.
Cartilage has a tissue-specific architecture, complicating recreation by
synthetic biomaterials. A novel approach for reconstruction is the use of
devitalised cartilage. Treatment with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) achieves
devitalisation while biomechanical properties are remained. Therefore, in the
present study, cartilage was devitalised using HHP treatment and the potential
for revitalisation with chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was
investigated. The devitalisation of cartilage was performed by application of
480 MPa over 10 minutes. Effective cellular inactivation was demonstrated by
the trypan blue exclusion test and DNA quantification. Histology and electron
microscopy examinations showed undamaged cartilage structure after HHP
treatment. For revitalisation chondrocytes and MSCs were cultured on
devitalised cartilage without supplementation of chondrogenic growth factors.
Both chondrocytes and MSCs significantly increased expression of cartilage-
specific genes. ECM stainings showed neocartilage-like structure with positive
AZAN staining as well as collagen type II and aggrecan deposition after three
weeks of cultivation. Our results showed that HHP treatment caused
devitalisation of cartilage tissue. ECM proteins were not influenced, thus,
providing a scaffold for chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs and
chondrocytes. Therefore, using HHP-treated tissue might be a promising
approach for cartilage repair