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The critical role of Hedgehog-responsive mesenchymal progenitors in meniscus development and injury repair

Authors :
Fanxin Long
Yulong Wei
Lin Han
Leilei Zhong
Eiki Koyama
Wei Yu
Nathaniel A. Dyment
Lutian Yao
Jaimo Ahn
Xiaowei Sherry Liu
Tao Gui
Su Jin Heo
Yejia Zhang
Ling Qin
Robert L. Mauck
Sun H
Miltiadis H. Zgonis
Source :
eLife, Vol 10 (2021), eLife
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd, 2021.

Abstract

Meniscal tears are associated with a high risk of osteoarthritis but currently have no disease-modifying therapies. Using a Gli1 reporter line, we found that Gli1+ cells contribute to the development of meniscus horns from 2 weeks of age. In adult mice, Gli1+ cells resided at the superficial layer of meniscus and expressed known mesenchymal progenitor markers. In culture, meniscal Gli1+ cells possessed high progenitor activities under the control of Hh signal. Meniscus injury at the anterior horn induced a quick expansion of Gli1-lineage cells. Normally, meniscal tissue healed slowly, leading to cartilage degeneration. Ablation of Gli1+ cells further hindered this repair process. Strikingly, intra-articular injection of Gli1+ meniscal cells or an Hh agonist right after injury accelerated the bridging of the interrupted ends and attenuated signs of osteoarthritis. Taken together, our work identified a novel progenitor population in meniscus and proposes a new treatment for repairing injured meniscus and preventing osteoarthritis.

Details

ISSN :
2050084X
Volume :
10
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
eLife
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....db77fad850b2b947a726aadfde989a02
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.62917