Secreted Factors and EV-miRNAs Orchestrate the Healing Capacity of Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from adipose tissue and used either as expanded cells or minimally manipulated cell preparations showed positive clinical outcomes in regenerative medicine approaches based on tissue restoration and inflammation control, like in osteoarthritis (OA). Recently, MSCs’ healing capacity has been ascribed to the large array of soluble factors, including soluble cytokines/chemokines and miRNAs conveyed within extracellular vesicles (EVs). Therefore, in this study, 200 secreted cytokines, chemokines and growth factors via ELISA, together with EV-embedded miRNAs via high-throughput techniques, were scored in adipose-derived MSCs (ASCs) cultivated under inflammatory conditions, mimicking OA synovial fluid. Both factors (through most abundantly expressed TIMP1, TIMP2, PLG and CTSS) and miRNAs (miR-24-3p, miR-222-3p and miR-193b-3p) suggested a strong capacity for ASCs to reduce matrix degradation activities, as those activated in OA cartilage, and switch synovial macrophages, often characterized by an M1 inflammatory polarization, towards an M2 phenotype. Moreover, the crucial importance of selecting the target tissue is discussed, showing how a focused search may greatly improve potency prediction and explain clinical outcomes. In conclusion, herein presented data shed light about the way ASCs regulate cell homeostasis and regenerative pathways in an OA-resembling environment, therefore suggesting a rationale for the use of MSC-enriched clinical products, such as stromal vascular fraction and microfragmented adipose tissue, in joint pathologies.