Cartilage matrix changes in contralateral mobile knees in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis induced by immobilization

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Research Article

Jin Zhou¹  Jun Hu¹  Xiang Zhang²  Fengyong Mao²  Shuai Liu³  Bo Wei³  Qingqiang Yao³  Yan Xu³  Liming Wang³  Qiang Zhou⁴ 

[1] Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;Cartilage Regeneration Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;Cartilage Regeneration Center, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;Digital Medicine Institute, Nanjing Medical University, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;Department of Orthopedics, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;Department of Orthopedics, No. 454 Hospital of People’s Liberation Army, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China;

关键词: Total Knee Arthroplasty;    Articular Cartilage;    Medial Femoral Condyle;    Cartilage Surface;    Contralateral Knee;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12891-015-0679-y

 received in 2015-01-31, accepted in 2015-08-13,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMany researches have investigated the changes associated with immobilization-induced osteoarthritis (OA). However, there are only few studies focusing on the effect of unilateral knee immobilization on cartilage matrix changes in the contralateral mobile knee. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of immobilization on the cartilage matrix in the contralateral mobile knees in a rabbit model of OA induced by immobilization.MethodsRight knees (experimental knees) of eighteen mature female rabbits were immobilized at an extension of 180° with orthopedic casting tape for 2, 4, or 8 weeks. Left knees (contralateral knees) of the immobilized rabbits were not subjected to immobilization. The knees of six non-immobilized rabbits were designated as control knees. Following immobilization, cartilage specimens from the medial femoral condyle underwent macroscopic, histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical evaluations.ResultsRoughness of cartilage surface was detected in the experimental knees at 2 weeks, and cartilage degeneration was further developed. In the contralateral knee, cartilage showed degenerative changes after 4 weeks. Safranin-O staining and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) contents were reduced in the experimental knees following immobilization and in the contralateral intact knees after 4 and 8 weeks. Type II collagen staining was gradually reduced, type I collagen accumulation was obviously detected in the upper and middle layers of cartilage in experimental knees after 8 weeks, and the collagen orientation was gradually disorganized in both knees at 4 and 8 weeks. For both experimental and contralateral knees, collagen contents were significantly decreased at 8 weeks, and Mankin and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scores increased over time.ConclusionOA developed in the contralateral intact knee with the progress of OA in the immobilized knee in a rabbit model of immobilization-induced OA.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Zhou et al. 2015