title: High cathepsin B activity in arthroplasty interface membranes. A histochemical study of 9 loose cemented total hip prostheses.
abstract: We studied biopsies of interface membranes of 9 aseptically loosened total hip prostheses. The morphologic resemblance of the cement-facing surface of the membranes to synovial tissue of arthritic joints, as noticed by others, was confirmed by histochemical techniques. High cathepsin B activity was found in the bone-facing surface of the membranes. Since this enzyme also plays an important role in tissue destruction of arthritic joints, further similarities in the mechanisms of tissue breakdown in arthritis and aseptic loosening of cemented hip prostheses may be conjectured.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Schüller
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Scholten
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lettinga
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Van Noorden
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000032:analysis*; D002484:Cementation; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002401:Cathepsin B