[Expression and its significance of connective tissue growth factor in articular cartilage during repair after full-thickness cartilage injury in young rabbit model].
OBJECTIVE
To approach the expression and its significance of connection tissue growth factor in articular cartilage during repair after full-thickness cartilage injury in young rabbit model.


METHODS
Young rabbit model of spontaneous healing of full-thickness cartilage defect in the medial femoral knee condyle was reproduced in present study. A total of twenty-five young New Zealand white rabbit were randomly divided into five groups: control group, 24 hour group, 1 week group, 4 week group and 8 week group after full-thickness cartilage injury (5 each). The mRNA and protein expression of CTGF were detected with RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively.


RESULTS
The morphologically good repairs with hyaline-like cartilage appearance were observed at 8 weeks after injury. The expression of CTGF mRNA was detected in all groups. Expression of CTGF mRNA was significantly higher in all groups after cartilage injury than in control group(P<0.05).The immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression of CTGF was positive in all groups, and immunolocalization was observed in the middle and deep zone.


CONCLUSIONS
The up-regulated expression of CTGF is accompanied with spontaneous healing of full-thickness cartilage defect in young rabbit, and CTGF may play a role in the repair of articular cartilage injury.
Fu
Jian-jun
JJ
Department of Orthopaedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China. black3@163.com
Chu
Tong-wei
TW
Zhou
Yue
Y
Liu
Yu-gang
YG
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D023421:Models, Animal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor