Hsien-Tsung Lu

The regenerative potential of stem cells and growth factors and their promising roles in revolutionizing osteoarthritis treatment. The image was generated using BioRender.

The rapid progress in the fields of biomedical and biological photonic sciences has given rise to a substantial demand for biological photonic structures capable of interacting with living systems. These structures are expected to facilitate precise manipulation of incident light at small scales, enabling the detection of sensitive biological signals and the achievement of highly accurate cell structural imaging. The concept of designing biological photonic devices using innate biomaterials, particularly natural entities such as cells, viruses, and organs, has gained prominence. These innovative devices offer the capability of multimodal light manipulation at specific sites, enhancing biological compatibility while minimizing disruptions to the delicate biological microenvironment. This article delves into recent advancements within the realm of biological photonic devices, with a dedicated focus on their applications in bio-imaging and -diagnosis. The central theme revolves around devices derived from biological entities possessing the requisite optical properties, biocompatibility, biofunctionality, and the ability to induce biological effects. These devices encompass a diverse range of optical functionalities, including light generation, transportation, and modulation, all of which play pivotal roles in bio-detection and imaging, thereby contributing notably to the advancement of these fields. The potential future directions and opportunities for the enhancement of biological photonic devices were outlined.

Proteolytic fragments of fibronectin can have catabolic effects on cartilage, menisci, and synovium. Previous studies have reported that Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways might be associated with joint inflammation and joint destruction. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is increasingly being used to treat a range of joint conditions; however, it has yet to be determined whether PRP influences fibronectin fragment (FN-f) procatabolic activity and TLRs. In this study, human primary culture cells were treated with 30 kDa FN-f with/without PRP co-incubation, and then analyzed using real-time PCR to determine gene expression levels in articular chondrocytes, meniscal fibrochondrocytes, and synovial fibroblasts. Protein levels were evaluated by Western immunoblotting. This study observed an increase in the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS2), and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) in articular chondrocytes, meniscal fibrochondrocytes, and synovial fibroblasts following insult with 30 kDa FN-f. Upregulation of these genes was significantly attenuated by PRP treatment. TLR2 and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13) were also significantly attenuated by cotreatment with 30 kDa FN-f + PRP + TLR2 inhibitor. PRP treatment was shown to attenuate the 30 kDa FN-f-induced MMP-13 expression associated with the decreased expression of TLR2 in osteoarthritic chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts. PRP treatment was also shown to attenuate procatabolic activity associated with MMP-13 expression via the TLR2 signaling pathway.