AD-MSCs are a type of adult stem cell deriving from adipose tissues with self-renewal ability and multidirectional differentiation potential[30]. As an attractive source of MSCs, adipose tissue usually contains far more MSCs than other sources contain[31]. AD-MSCs have become the focus of considerable interest in regenerative tissue engineering due to their easy access and availability in large quantities. The different methods for isolation and culture of canine AD-MSCs has also been established across different countries and different laboratories[22, 24, 26]. Currently, MSCs manufacture including isolation, culture and identification methods are labor intensive, with many time-consuming steps[3, 32]. A complex set of processes introduces the risk of microbial infection and changes in biologic properties[33]. Accordingly, all steps of cell manufacture for clinical application must be performed based on good manufacturing practice to achieve a reasonable safety and quality[34]. The establishment of canine AD-MSCs bank operating in accordance with good manufacturing practice standards will accelerates the clinical application of canine stem cell therapy and the development of stem cell industrialization in pet market.
In this study, we tried to establish a standardized operating process encompasses tissue sourcing, cell isolation and culture, cryopreservation, thawing and expansion for clinical grade canine AD-MSCs manufacturing. Adipose tissue samples were aseptically collected from abdomen fat of healthy donor canine under general anaesthesia. Donor canine peripheral blood was then taken for the examination of infectious diseases including RV, CDV, ICHV, CPV, CCV, fungi and bacteria. Subsequent process can be carried out after the qualification is confirmed, which will serve as the initial basis for the study of cell quality. Using mechanical disruption combined with collagenase type I digestion, AD-MSCs could be successfully isolated and further seeded centrifugally into cell culture dishes in our optimum culture conditions.
After thawing and expansion, AD-MSCs showed all properties characteristic for mesenchymal stem cells outlined by the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) for defining MSCs[35]. The cells were in a fibrocyte-like form and had a spindle-shape, and were arranged in a whirlpool pattern. The cells formed a monolayer of homogenous bipolar spindle-like cells with a whirl-pool-like array. The immunophenotype analysis displayed that the cells positively expressed of CD29, CD44, and CD90 and the lack of CD34, and CD45. In addition, they demonstrated the ability of osteogenic differentiation and adipogenic differentiation.
The manufacturing of AD-MSCs as cell therapy products for veterinary clinical application should be performed with corresponding controls to ensure its safety and quality[36, 37]. The AD-MSCs have undergone safety testing including sterility, and mycoplasma and results found to meet specifications. There were no bacterial, fungal, or mycoplasma contaminations observed in any of our 12 cultures. With a small number of cells and a limited number of injections, the administration of AD-MSCs was demonstrated intravenously without any immediate adverse events.
In comparison with stem cells derived from other sources, AD-MSCs have the advantages of convenient material acquisition, fewer ethical issues, low damage and abundant sources[38, 39]. Our previous study indicated that canine AD-MSCs had the highest proliferation activity vis-à-vis four other sources-derived MSCs in vitro. On average, the number of AD-MSCs doubled every day in our cell culture system [40]. The higher rates of cell proliferation help to harvest more numbers of MSCs in the same unit of time, thus saving cell production costs and times. In addition, the establishment of AD-MSCs banks may accelerate the veterinary clinical application of stem cell therapy and the development of pet stem cell businesses.