Speaker
Description
Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders globally, with its burden escalating due to the aging population and the absence of disease-modifying therapies 1. Despite its debilitating nature, current treatments remain palliative, focusing primarily on pain management or surgical intervention, with no curative options. The pathogenesis of OA involves a complex interplay between pro-inflammatory cytokines, dysregulated signaling pathways, and mechanical stress, all contributing to chondrocyte dysfunction and cartilage breakdown2. While anti-inflammatory drugs are routinely used in symptom management, they do not effectively address the structural damage. On the other hand, tissue engineering strategies, particularly hydrogel-based bio-printed constructs, have emerged as promising approaches to promote cartilage regeneration.
In this study, we developed a bioactive hydrogel by integrating phycocyanin3—a natural anti-inflammatory protein derived from Spirulina platensis—into a Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA, BIOINX) matrix to mitigate inflammation and promote chondrocyte regeneration. Primary human chondrocytes exposed to phycocyanin (0–200 µg/mL) maintained >90% viability (p>0.05), with an IC₅₀ of 309.9 µg/mL (10.33 µM). When chondrocytes were cultured under inflammatory conditions ( IL-1β/TNF-α stimulation), a marked upregulation of NF-κB expression was observed. Notably, treatment with phycocyanin at concentrations between 100–200 µg/mL significantly suppressed NF-κB expression and reduced inflammatory marker levels, highlighting its anti-inflammatory potential.
Beyond its anti-inflammatory effects, phycocyanin may support chondrogenic differentiation, positioning it as a promising bioactive component for bio-functional printable hydrogel scaffolds aimed at osteochondral repair. Unlike single-target OA therapies, this dual-action hydrogel could have the potential to address both symptom relief and structural repair.
REFERENCES
1 Tang S., Zhang C., Oo W.M. et al. Osteoarthritis. Nat Rev Dis Primers 11, 10 (2025).
2 Escribano-Núñez A., Corneli, F.M.F., De Roover A. et al. IGF1 drives Wnt-induced joint damage and is a potential therapeutic target for osteoarthritis. Nat Commun 15, 9170 (2024).
3 Martinez S.E., Chen Y., Ho E.A., Martinez S.A., Davies N.M. Pharmacological effects of a C-phycocyanin-based multicomponent nutraceutical in an in-vitro canine chondrocyte model of osteoarthritis. Can J Vet Res. 2015 Jul;79(3):241-9.
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