Hyaluronic Acid Hampers the Inflammatory Response Elicited by Extracellular Vesicles from Activated Monocytes in Human Chondrocytes

Background/Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease in the adult population. OA is the result of multiple mechanisms leading to inflammation and the degradation of the cartilage. A complex series of etiological actors have been identified so far, including extracellular vesicles (EVs). The EV content of the synovial fluid (SF) can release inflammatory mediators that enhance OA progression. An intra-articular viscosupplementation of high-MW hyaluronic acid (HyA) constitutes the first-line conservative treatment for OA. Although attractive for the potential pharmacological implications, the possibility that HyA may interact with EVs in the context of OA has not yet been specifically investigated; therefore, the present study aimed to fill this gap. Methods: We studied the effect of a HyA preparation (a blend of crosslinked and linear polymers, CLHyA) on the relevant inflammatory markers in chondrocytes (HC cells or primary chondrocytes isolated from patients with advanced OA) exposed to the EVs collected from IL-1 beta-stimulated THP-1 human monocytes (EVs+). Results: EVs+ caused specific inflammatory responses in chondrocytes that could be prevented by coincubation with CLHyA. This anti-inflammatory activity is likely dependent on the direct binding of CLHyA to CD44 receptors highly expressed in EVs+ and on the subsequent hindrance to EVs+ diffusion and docking to target cells. Conclusions: On the whole, the tight interactions identified herein between HMW HyA and EVs+ represent a novel, pharmacologically exploitable mechanism potentially relevant in the context of OA treatment.