Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) in experimental osteoarthritis.
We studied the effects of intraarticular (ia) administration of hyaluronic acid (HA) (Mw approximately 9 x 10(5)) (Artz) on cartilage integrity and release into synovial fluid (SF) of keratan sulfate peptides (KS-pep) in an ovine model of early osteoarthritis (OA) induced by meniscectomy. Five consecutive weekly injections of HA (2 ml, 10 mg/ml) or saline (2 ml) were initiated 16 weeks after meniscectomy, and animals were sacrificed 5 weeks after the last injection. SF was sampled 8, 16, 23, and 26 weeks postoperation. In the saline injected animals KS-pep levels increased progressively in SF, relative to nonoperated controls (p < 0.05). KS-pep levels in SF of the HA treated group also increased, but were not statistically different from controls. Using a modified Mankin histological scoring system, cartilage at necropsy of HA injected joints showed less damage than similar regions of saline treated animals. A new mechanism for the protective effects of HA on cartilage is proposed.
Ghosh
P
P
Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratories, (University of Sydney), Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia.
Holbert
C
C
Read
R
R
Armstrong
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007632:Keratan Sulfate / Q000032:analysis*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000378:metabolism; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012756:Sheep; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D007632:Keratan Sulfate