The effect of transforming growth factor-beta on mechanical properties of the fibrous tissue regenerated in the patellar tendon after resecting the central portion.
BACKGROUND
No investigators have studied the effects of an application of growth factors on the in vivo tissue regeneration in the tendon after resecting the central portion. The purpose of this study is to clarify whether an application of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 increases the mechanical properties of the regenerated tissue in the patellar tendon after resecting the central portion.


METHODS
Thirty female rabbits were divided into three groups, after a 3 mm wide and 10 mm long tendon substance was resected from the central portion in the patellar tendon. In Group I, 5-ng TGF-beta1 dissolved in 0.1-ml saline was injected into the resected portion in the patellar tendon. In Group II, only 0.1-ml saline was injected into the resected portion. In Group III, nothing was injected. All animals were sacrificed at 6 weeks after surgery. Mechanical and histological evaluations were made concerning the regenerated tissue and the unresected tendon tissue in the patellar tendon.


RESULTS
Concerning the regenerated tissue, the tangent modulus and the tensile strength of Group I were significantly greater than those of Groups II and III, while there were no significant differences in these parameters between Groups II and III.


CONCLUSIONS
The application of TGF-beta1 significantly increases the tangent modulus and the tensile strength of the fibrous tissue regenerated in the patellar tendon after resecting the central portion. This study has provided basic important information on the utility of TGF-beta1 in the in vivo tendon regeneration.
Anaguchi
Yuko
Y
Department of Sports Medicine and Joint Reconstruction Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Kita-15 Nishi-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
Yasuda
Kazunori
K
Majima
Tokifumi
T
Tohyama
Harukazu
H
Minami
Akio
A
Hayashi
Kozaburo
K
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1