Total Flavonoids of Rhizoma drynariae Enhance Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Mediated Tendon–Bone Healing by Promoting Tissue Regeneration, Angiogenesis, and Modulation of Cytokine Expression
(1) Objective: This study aimed to investigate the synergistic effect and underlying mechanisms of Total Flavonoids of <i>Rhizoma drynariae</i> (TFRD) in combination with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs) in the repair of tendon-bone injuries. (2) Methods: The effects of TFRD on the proliferation and migration of BMSCs were assessed using CCK-8 and scratch assays, and its potential to promote osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation was evaluated. Concurrently, the pro-angiogenic effect of TFRD on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) was observed. In vivo, a rat model of Achilles tendon-bone injury was established and animals were divided into four groups: SHAM, Model, BMSCs, and BMSCs + TFRD. After an 8-week intervention, the level of functional recovery was evaluated through histological analysis, immunohistochemistry, serum biochemical analysis, and biomechanical testing. (3) Results: A concentration of 5.0 μg/mL TFRD significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of BMSCs and enhanced the tube formation capacity of HUVECs. In the BMSCs + TFRD group, histological analysis revealed well-organized collagen fibers, increased cartilage deposition, and an optimized tendon-bone interface (TBI) structure. Immunohistochemistry showed upregulated expression of COL I, COL II, and SOX-9, alongside downregulated VEGFA. Furthermore, serum IL-6 levels were decreased, while IL-10 and TGF-β levels were elevated. The biomechanical properties were also significantly improved in this group. (4) Conclusions: TFRD promotes tendon-bone healing and functional recovery by enhancing BMSC functions, promoting angiogenesis, and improving the local microenvironment.
Authors
- Weitong Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6254-161X)
- Pengbo Cao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7820-114X)
- H. Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1956-743X)
- Lin Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5068-0567)
- Gaoyuan Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1461-0138)
- Yu Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0934-8826)
- Ziyan Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5551-594X)
- Shuqi Qin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5328-7488)
- Xianyan Xie
- Zixi Chenyuan
Institutions
- Guangzhou Sport University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Biology
- Published
- 2025-11-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111593
- Primary Topic
- Tendon Structure and Treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00