Aims. A number of anti-retroviral therapies (ART) have been implicated in potentially contributing to HIV-associated bone disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combination ART on the
Aims. Impaired fracture repair in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to characterize the local changes in gene expression (GE) associated with diabetic fracture. We used an unbiased approach to compare GE in the fracture callus of Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats relative to wild-type (WT) littermates at three weeks following femoral osteotomy. Methods. Zucker rats, WT and homozygous for leptin receptor mutation (ZDF), were fed a moderately high-fat diet to induce T2DM only in the ZDF animals. At ten weeks of age, open femoral fractures were simulated using a unilateral osteotomy stabilized with an external fixator. At three weeks post-surgery, the fractured femur from each animal was retrieved for analysis. Callus formation and the extent of healing were assessed by radiograph and histology. Bone tissue was processed for total RNA extraction and messenger RNA (mRNA) sequencing (mRNA-Seq). Results. Radiographs and histology demonstrated impaired
Objectives. Experimental studies indicate that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may have negative effects on
Aims. A growing number of fractures progress to delayed or nonunion, causing significant morbidity and socioeconomic impact. Localized delivery of stem cells and subcutaneous parathyroid hormone (PTH) has been shown individually to accelerate bony regeneration. This study aimed to combine the therapies with the aim of upregulating
Objectives. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to impair
Objectives. The osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) balance is of the utmost importance in
Objectives. The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) treated with quality and quantity control culture (QQ-culture) to expand and fortify angiogenic cells on the acceleration of
Objectives. As one of the heat-stable enterotoxins, Staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (SEC2) is synthesized by Staphylococcus aureus, which has been proved to inhibit the growth of tumour cells, and is used as an antitumour agent in cancer immunotherapy. Although SEC2 has been reported to promote osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the in vivo function of SCE2 in animal model remains elusive. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the in vivo effect of SCE2 on
Objectives. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported as key regulators of bone formation, signalling, and repair.
Aims. Bone turnover markers (BTMs) follow distinct trends after fractures and limited evidence suggests differential levels in BTMs in patients with delayed healing. The effect of vitamin D, and other factors that influence BTMs and
Aims. Alcoholism is a well-known detrimental factor in
Aims. Exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been reported to be a promising cellular therapeutic approach for various human diseases. The current study aimed to investigate the mechanism of BMSC-derived exosomes carrying microRNA (miR)-136-5p in
Objectives.
Aims. To fully verify the reliability and reproducibility of an experimental method in generating standardized micromotion for the rat femur fracture model. Methods. A modularized experimental device has been developed that allows rat models to be used instead of large animal models, with the aim of reducing systematic errors and time and money constraints on grouping. The bench test was used to determine the difference between the measured and set values of the micromotion produced by this device under different simulated loading weights. The displacement of the fixator under different loading conditions was measured by compression tests, which was used to simulate the unexpected micromotion caused by the rat’s ambulation. In vivo preliminary experiments with a small sample size were used to test the feasibility and effectiveness of the whole experimental scheme and surgical scheme. Results. The bench test showed that a weight loading < 500 g did not affect the operation of experimental device. The compression test demonstrated that the stiffness of the device was sufficient to keep the uncontrollable motion between fracture ends, resulting from the rat’s daily activities, within 1% strain. In vivo results on 15 rats prove that the device works reliably, without overburdening the experimental animals, and provides standardized micromotion reproductively at the fracture site according to the set parameters. Conclusion. Our device was able to investigate the effect of micromotion parameters on
Objectives. We investigated the effects on
Objectives. Opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an established surgical procedure for the treatment of early-stage knee arthritis. Other than infection, the majority of complications are related to mechanical factors – in particular, stimulation of healing at the osteotomy site. This study used finite element (FE) analysis to investigate the effect of plate design and bridging span on interfragmentary movement (IFM) and the influence of
Aims. There is an increasing concern of osteoporotic fractures in the ageing population. Low-magnitude high-frequency vibration (LMHFV) was shown to significantly enhance osteoporotic fracture healing through alteration of osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network (LCN). Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) in osteocytes is known to be responsible for maintaining the LCN and mineralization. This study aimed to investigate the role of osteocyte-specific DMP1 during osteoporotic fracture healing augmented by LMHFV. Methods. A metaphyseal fracture was created in the distal femur of ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were randomized to five different groups: 1) DMP1 knockdown (KD), 2) DMP1 KD + vibration (VT), 3) Scramble + VT, 4) VT, and 5) control (CT), where KD was performed by injection of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) into marrow cavity; vibration treatment was conducted at 35 Hz, 0.3 g; 20 minutes/day, five days/week). Assessments included radiography, micro-CT, dynamic histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry on DMP1, sclerostin, E11, and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). In vitro, murine long bone osteocyte-Y4 (MLO-Y4) osteocyte-like cells were randomized as in vivo groupings. DMP1 KD was performed by transfecting cells with shRNA plasmid. Assessments included immunocytochemistry on osteocyte-specific markers as above, and mineralized nodule staining. Results. Healing capacities in DMP1 KD groups were impaired. Results showed that DMP1 KD significantly abolished vibration-enhanced
A balanced inflammatory response is important for successful
Objectives. Small animal models of fracture repair primarily investigate
indirect