Transcriptomic, molecular, and clinical assessment of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), alone or combined with orthobiologic products in equine osteoarthritis

• Grant number: 25/20168-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: October 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Raquel Yvonne Arantes Baccarin
• Grantee: Jessie Pereira Soares
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent inflammatory and degenerative joint disease in athletic horses. The treatment of OA through orthobiologic therapies has gained increasing attention in regenerative medicine, particularly with the use of bone marrow-derived products and platelet concentrates. This study will be conducted in two phases, designated as an in vitro and an in vivo experiment, aiming to evaluate the immunomodulatory capacity and regenerative potential of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC). In the in vitro phase, BMAC will be assessed alone and in combination with platelet lysate (PL), bone marrow plasma (BM-P), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), through transcriptomic analyses and cytokine evaluation in two models of synovitis: macrophage cultures and chondrocyte pellets challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and treated with different combinations. Transcriptomic analyses and quantification of TGF-b, FGF-2, TNF-a, IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1Ra, PGE-2, aggrecan, and type II collagen will be performed at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-treatment. In the in vivo phase, the most promising associations identified at the in vitro experiment will be applied in horses with naturally occurring OA, which will be evaluated through clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, and biochemical synovial fluid analyses before and after treatment. The results will enable the identification of orthobiologic molecular mechanisms of action and their potential synergistic effects , contributing to the development of more effective therapies. (AU)