Preventive effects of hyaluronan from deterioration of gait parameters in surgically induced mice osteoarthritic knee model.
OBJECTIVE
Osteoarthritis (OA) leads to pain and loss of function in affected joints. Gait disturbance results from these symptoms of OA, and gait analysis can be important to evaluate the progression of OA. The purpose of this study was to analyze gait pattern in a rodent model of OA and to assess the effects of intra-articular injection of hyaluronan (IAI-HA) by gait analysis, along with histological evaluation.


METHODS
OA was induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) of C57BL/6 mice. IAI-HA started 3 weeks after DMM surgery. Mice were allocated to three groups and were given either 800-kDa HA (800-HA), 6000-kDa HA (6000-HA) or saline. We compared these three groups with a sham group by gait analysis using CatWalk. Histological evaluation was performed to assess articular cartilage changes in the knee joints.


RESULTS
Mice injected with 800-HA or 6000-HA showed gait patterns similar to that of the sham mice, while the saline-injected group showed gait disturbances 12 and 16 weeks after DMM surgery. Histological changes in articular cartilage were similar among the 800-HA, 6000-HA and saline-treated groups, demonstrating OA progression throughout the experimental time points. Positive gait-related effects of IAI-HA might occur by its pain relieving effect and/or by preventing contracture.


CONCLUSIONS
IAI-HA prevented gait disturbances in the DMM model, but did not prevent histological changes associated with OA progression.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: yuta-muramatsu@chiba-u.jp.
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Y
Muramatsu
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: sasho@faculty.chiba-u.jp.
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Sasho
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sakura Medical Center, Toho University, Sakura, Japan. Electronic address: masahi1214@hotmail.com.
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Saito
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: y-satoshi@mvb.biglobe.ne.jp.
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Yamaguchi
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: ryu-a@nona.dti.ne.jp.
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Akagi
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: muko.524729@gmail.com.
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Mukoyama
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: kkaazzuu54@yahoo.co.jp.
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Akatsu
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: joe_katsuragi@hotmail.com.
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Katsuragi
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: fukawataisuke0625@yahoo.co.jp.
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Fukawa
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: orthopaedics@hotmail.co.jp.
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Endo
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: hiorokohoshi@yahoo.co.jp.
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Hoshi
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: yo_hey210@hotmail.com.
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Yamamoto
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: 19501114@faculty.chiba-u.jp.
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Takahashi
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005684:Gait / Q000187:drug effects*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055675:Viscosupplements / Q000008:administration & dosage
D055675:Viscosupplements; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
CatWalk; Destabilization of the medial meniscus; Gait analysis; Hyaluronan; Osteoarthritis