Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Equine Umbilical Cord Blood Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in vitro

Abstract

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been shown to induce different biological effects on a variety of cells, including regulation and stimulation of their function and metabolism. ESWT can promote different biological responses such as proliferation, migration, and regenerations of cells. Recent studies have shown that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) secrete factors that enhance regeneration of tissues, stimulate proliferation and differentiation of cells and decrease inflammatory and immune-reactions. Clinically, the combination of these two therapies has been used as treatment for tendon and ligament lesions in horses; however, there is no scientific evidence supporting this combination of therapies in vivo. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to evaluate if ESWT affects equine umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells (CB-MSCs) proliferative, metabolic, migrative, differentiation, and immunomodulatory properties in vitro. Equine CB-MSCs were treated using an electrohydraulic shock wave generator attached to a water bath. All experiments were performed as triplicates. Proliferation, viability, migration and immunomodulatory properties of the cells were evaluated. Equine CB-MSCs were induced to evaluate their trilineage differentiation potential. ESWT treated cells had increased metabolic activity, showed positive adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation, and showed higher potential for differentiation towards the adipogenic and osteogenic cell fates. ESWT treated cells showed similar immunomodulatory properties to non-ESWT treated cells. Equine CB-MSCs are sensitive to ESWT treatment and showed increased metabolic, adipogenic and osteogenic activity, but unaltered immunosuppressive properties. In vivo studies are warranted to determine if synergistic effects can be obtained in the treatment musculoskeletal injuries if ESWT and equine CB-MSC therapies are combined.