Project description DEENESFRITPL Cell therapy for equine osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition associated with the disintegration of cartilage that cushions the bones in the joint. The disease is not limited to humans; it is commonly encountered in horses. Regenerative medicine through injection of stem cells in the diseased joint constitutes an attractive approach for self-healing. The EU-funded CAREQiPSC project proposes to develop induced pluripotent stem cells from horses as an unlimited cell source for therapy. Researchers will characterise these cells and evaluate their potential to differentiate into chondrocytes in vitro and in 3D scaffolds. Information on their biomechanical support and therapeutic potential will determine their future application in osteoarthritis treatment in horses. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint pathology that constitutes the first cause of disability in older adults and accounts for >80% of chronic lameness in horses. Effective treatments are not available while developing them is of utmost importance for the EU objective of translating knowledge into society’s benefit. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can provide unlimited cells for therapy with no ethical concerns. However, pre-clinical knowledge is limited to small animals with low translational potential. Larger species such as the horse better resembles human joint’s features and can also benefit from these therapies (One Medicine). To develop this approach, the first mandatory step is obtaining suitable cartilage from eqiPSCs. Thus, the goals of CAREQiPSC are: 1) establishing eqiPSCs from new sources with potential chondrogenic commitment, 2) derive mesenchymal-like cells with chondrogenic potential, 3) compare their chondrogenic ability under different conditions, 4) explore their therapeutic potential in an ex vivo cartilage explant system. To achieve these goals, eqiPSCs will be established from articular chondrocytes, umbilical cord mononuclear cells, and dermal fibroblasts, and their pluripotency will be studied. Mesenchymal cells derived from these lines will be characterised and induced to differentiate in the customary pellet system and in a 3D scaffold. The tissue obtained will be studied by histology, protein and gene expression, and its therapeutic potential will be investigated in cartilage explants, also including imaging and biomechanical assessment. The researcher’s previous experience in the equine model and the host’s expertise in iPSCs and infrastructure will ensure the achievement of these goals. The main outcome will be critical in vitro and ex vivo knowledge to facilitate in vivo application in the horse, which will generate preclinical information transferable to human therapy and will advance the veterinary medicine field. Fields of science agricultural sciencesveterinary sciencesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsmedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cellsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepathologynatural sciencesbiological scienceshistology Keywords Cartilage Chondrogenesis Comparative Medicine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Horse One Health One Medicine Osteoarthritis Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2020 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2020 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY Net EU contribution € 184 590,72 Address UNIVERSITY ROAD H91 Galway Ireland See on map Region Ireland Northern and Western West Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 184 590,72
