Periarticular ligament changes following ACL/MCL transection in an ovine stifle joint model of osteoarthritis.
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries often lead to significant functional impairment, and are associated with increased risk for induction of degenerative joint disease. However, few studies have described the effect of ligament transection on the remaining intact knee ligaments. This study sought to determine specifically what impact combined ACL/medial collateral ligament (MCL) transection had on the remaining intact knee ligaments, particularly from the histological, biochemical, and molecular perspectives. Twenty weeks post-ACL/MCL transection, the cut ends of sheep MCLs were bridged by scar, while the posterior cruciate ligaments (PCLs) and lateral collateral ligaments (LCLs) seemed gross morphologically normal. Water content and cell density increased significantly in the MCL scars and the intact PCLs but were unchanged in the LCLs. Collagen fibril diameter distribution was significantly altered in both MCL scar tissue and uninjured PCLs from transected joints. MMP-13 mRNA levels in MCL scars and PCLs from ligament transected joints were increased, while TIMP-1 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in the PCLs only. This study has shown that some intact ligaments in injured joints are impacted by the injury. The joint appears to behave like an integrated organ system, with injury to one component affecting the other components as the "organ" attempts to adapt to the loss of integrity.
Funakoshi
Yusei
Y
McCaig Centre for Joint Injury & Arthritis Research, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1.
Hariu
Mitsuhiro
M
Tapper
Janet E
JE
Marchuk
Linda L
LL
Shrive
Nigel G
NG
Kanaya
Fuminori
F
Rattner
Jerome B
JB
Hart
David A
DA
Frank
Cyril B
CB
D000818:Animals; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017888:Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee / Q000293:injuries*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D003094:Collagen; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13