Ambivalent properties of hyaluronate and hylan during post-traumatic OA in the rat knee.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether viscosupplementation with intra-articular (i.a.) low- or high-molecular-weight hyaluronate (HA) injections influenced both chondral and synovial lesions in rats with surgically-induced OA knee.


METHODS
On D0, rats underwent anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLX) and were divided in 4 groups: sham group, ACLX-saline control group, ACLX-hyaluronate group, ACLX-hylan group. IA injections were performed on D7, D14 and D21. Histological grading of chondral and synovial lesions were performed on D28. Concomitant immunostainings of Caspase3a and Hsp70 were also performed.


RESULTS
Articular damages were significantly reduced in both HAs-treated knee joints. In contrast, a significant increase of histological score of synovial inflammation was noted in both ACLX + HAs groups. Apoptotic events significantly decreased as anti-apoptotic Hsp70 expression increased significantly in both HAs groups.


CONCLUSIONS
HAs may exert, independently of its molecular weight, ambivalent properties on articular structures, simultaneously exerting chondroprotective properties and promoting long-term subacute synovitis.
UMR CNRS, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France.
Laurent
L
Galois
Stéphanie
S
Etienne
Christel
C
Henrionnet
Julien
J
Scala-Bertola
Laurent
L
Grossin
Didier
D
Mainard
Pierre
P
Gillet
Astrid
A
Pinzano
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000187:drug effects; D055675:Viscosupplements / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D055675:Viscosupplements; C049816:hylan; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid