Examining the Potential of Vitamin C Supplementation in Tissue-Engineered Equine Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Constructs

Authors

Michael J Mienaltowski
Mitchell Callahan
Nicole L Gonzales
Angelique Wong

Language

English

Publication Date

12-4-2023

Journal

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

DOI

10.3390/ijms242317098

PMID

38069418

PMCID

PMC10707379

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

December 2023

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Because equine tendinopathies are slow to heal and often recur, therapeutic strategies are being considered that aid tendon repair. Given the success of utilizing vitamin C to promote tenogenesis in other species, we hypothesized that vitamin C supplementation would produce dose-dependent improvements in the tenogenic properties of tendon proper (TP) and peritenon (PERI) cells of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT). Equine TP- and PERI-progenitor-cell-seeded fibrin three-dimensional constructs were supplemented with four concentrations of vitamin C. The gene expression profiles of the constructs were assessed with 3'-Tag-Seq and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR); collagen content and fibril ultrastructure were also analyzed. Moreover, cells were challenged with dexamethasone to determine the levels of cytoprotection afforded by vitamin C. Expression profiling demonstrated that vitamin C had an anti-inflammatory effect on TP and PERI cell constructs. Moreover, vitamin C supplementation mitigated the degenerative pathways seen in tendinopathy and increased collagen content in tendon constructs. When challenged with dexamethasone in two-dimensional culture, vitamin C had a cytoprotective effect for TP cells but not necessarily for PERI cells. Future studies will explore the effects of vitamin C on these cells during inflammation and within the tendon niche in vivo.

Keywords

Animals, Horses, Tendons, Collagen, Tissue Engineering, Tendinopathy, Ascorbic Acid, Dexamethasone

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Mienaltowski, Michael J; Callahan, Mitchell; Gonzales, Nicole L; et al., "Examining the Potential of Vitamin C Supplementation in Tissue-Engineered Equine Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Constructs" (2023). Faculty, Staff and Student Publications. 772.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthmed_docs/772