Short-duration enzymatic treatment promotes integration of a cartilage graft in a defect.
OBJECTIVE
Surgical manipulation of cartilage tissue is associated with chondrocyte death in the wound edges that hinders integration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a short course of treatment of a cartilage graft with a combination of hyaluronidase and collagenase on chondrocyte density and integrative capacity.


METHODS
Cartilage explants were treated with enzymes for various time periods and at various concentrations. A central core was punched out of a larger explant, treated with enzymes, reimplanted, and placed subcutaneously in athymic mice. The number of chondrocytes in the wound edges was counted, and the integrative capacity of the grafts was evaluated by histology.


RESULTS
Treatment with collagenase for 48 hours led to a significant increase in the number of vital chondrocytes and restored it to normal after 14 days of culture. Treatment with hyaluronidase and collagenase for 48 hours further increased chondrocyte densities to supranormal values. Shortening the treatment to 1 hour restored the chondrocyte density to normal after 14 days of culture. In vivo integration experiments showed increased chondrocyte densities in treated wound edges and extracellular matrix fibers crossing over from enzyme-treated parts to untreated parts.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-duration treatment of a cartilage graft with a combination of hyaluronidase and collagenase increases cell density at wound edges and promotes integrative repair.
Janssen
Luuk M
LM
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
In der Maur
Caroline D
CD
Bos
P Koen
PK
Hardillo
Jose A
JA
van Osch
Gerjo J V M
GJ
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D002417:Cattle; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D017364:Collagenases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013997:Time Factors; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods*; D014945:Wound Healing
D003470:Culture Media; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; D017364:Collagenases