title: The effect of sonication on simulated osteoarthritis. Part I: effects of 1 MHz ultrasound on uptake of hyaluronan into the rabbit synovium.
abstract: High molecular weight (MW) hyaluronan (HA) preparation is considered to be more biologically active than HAs of lower MWs. However, many of the HA preparations currently used to treat osteoarthritis (OA) have lower MWs by the enhanced penetration of HA molecules into the synovial lining cells. In this study, we determined the effectiveness of sonophoresis on the delivery of high MW HA into synovial membrane using an animal model of OA. A total of 1000 kDa (HA1000) and 3000 kDa (HA3000) HA were labeled with fluorescein and injected into the knees of rabbits. Low-intensity continuous ultrasound at 1 MHz, 400 mW/cm2 was applied to the knees for 10 min treatment bid. Synovial fluid analysis revealed increased absorption and fluorescence microscopy showed deeper penetration of both HA1000 and HA3000, more so with the latter. Histologic examination indicated that ultrasound treatment resulted in no apparent damage to the synovial membrane. These results suggest that simultaneous sonication with HA injection might compensate for the short half-life of HA. Consequently, this dual treatment would render HA a far more effective tool in the management of OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: So Ra
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung Wha
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Sang-Hyug
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hong Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Cheng Zhe
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Min Joo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Soo Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Byoung-Hyun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006614:Hindlimb; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D023421:Models, Animal; D008970:Molecular Weight; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011817:Rabbits; D013010:Sonication; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid