title: A case study: Glycosaminoglycan profiles of autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) tissue improve as the tissue matures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) has been used to treat cartilage defects in thousands of patients worldwide with good clinical effectiveness 10-20years after implantation. Information concerning the quality of the repair cartilage is still limited because biopsies are small and rare. Glycosaminoglycan structure influences physiological function and is likely to be important in the long term stability of the repair tissue. The aim of this study was to assess glycosaminoglycans in ACI tissue over a two year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsies were taken from one patient (25years old) at 12months and 20months post-ACI-treatment and from three normal cadavers (21, 22 and 25years old). Fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE) was used to quantitatively assess the individual glycosaminoglycans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12months the ACI biopsy had 40% less hyaluronan than the age-matched cadaveric biopsies but by 20months the ACI biopsy had the same amount of hyaluronan as the controls. Both the 12 and 20month ACI biopsies had less chondroitin sulphate disaccharides and shorter chondroitin sulphate chains than the age-matched cadaveric biopsies. However, chondroitin sulphate chain length doubled as the ACI repair tissue matured at 12months (3913Da±464) and 20months (6923Da±711) and there was less keratan sulphate as compared to the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the glycosaminoglycan composition of the repair tissue is not identical to mature articular cartilage its quality continues to improve with time.
authors: Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: as3182@cumc.columbia.edu.
authors: Aarti
authors: A
authors: Sharma
authors: Sports Injury Services, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7AG, UK.
authors: Dai
authors: D
authors: Rees
authors: Institute of Science & Technology in Medicine, University of Keele, Arthritis Research Centre, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7AG, UK. Electronic address: sally.roberts@rjah.nhs.uk.
authors: Sally
authors: S
authors: Roberts
authors: Institute of Science & Technology in Medicine, University of Keele, Arthritis Research Centre, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7AG, UK. Electronic address: n.j.kuiper@keele.ac.uk.
authors: Nicola J
authors: NJ
authors: Kuiper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans
keywords: Autologous chondrocyte implantation; Cartilage; Fluorophore assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE); Glycosaminoglycans; Hyaluronan; Standard Error of the Mean (SEM)