Introduction: In attempting to unravel the complex cellular responses leading to prosthetic loosening investigators have been limited to studying gene expression of extracellular molecules about which most is known whereas new microarray technology allows simultaneous expression profiling of thousands of genes from a complex sample such as the membrane formed around loosened hip prostheses.

Methods: Two groups of 8 patients were recruited who have undergone primary total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis and subsequently developed either septic or aseptic loosening +/− osteolysis. The control group consisted of one group of 5 patients with the same initial diagnosis who had undergone identical procedures, developed no clinical or radiological signs of aseptic or septic loosening, but had come to revision surgery for other complications as defined by the Swedish Hip register: fracture without previous osteolysis, dislocation, technical error, implant fracture, polyethylene wear or pain. Periprosthetic membrane was harvested at the time of revision surgery and subjected to RNA extraction. cDNA was then synthesized and hybridised to a Human Genome u95 Genechip ® array which contains a complete set of known human genes. Data normalisation, data filtering and pattern identification was performed using Genechip®3.1 software (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA).

Results: This has revealed the involvement of a large number of genes coding for transcriptional regulators upstream from the extracellular and cell-cell signalling molecules already known to be involved in osteolysis and deep infection and which may ultimately control the responses to wear particles and bacterial challenge. Differential expression of genes involved in cell survival and death, cell growth regulation, cell metabolism, inflammation and immune response was found. Most interestingly pathways for control of local bone resorption and inflammatory response have been shown to be highly activated.

Conclusions: The identification of these new pathogenetic mechanisms of total hip replacement failure make new indicators of disease susceptibility and prognosis plus new drug targets direct possibilities.

Purpose: In attempting to unravel the complex cellular responses leading to prosthetic loosening investigators have been limited to studying gene expression of extracellular molecules about which most is known whereas new microarray technology allows simultaneous expression profiling of thousands of genes from a complex sample such as the membrane formed around loosened hip prostheses.

Methods: Two groups of 8 patients were recruited who have undergone primary total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis and subsequently developed either septic or aseptic loosening +/− osteolysis. The control group consisted of one group of 5 patients with the same initial diagnosis who had undergone identical procedures, developed no clinical or radiological signs of aseptic or septic loosening, but had come to revision surgery for other complications as defined by the Swedish Hip register: fracture without previous osteolysis, dislocation, technical error, implant fracture, polyethylene wear or pain. Peri-prosthetic membrane was harvested at the time of revision surgery and subjected to RNA extraction. cDNA was then synthesized and hybridised to a Human Genome u95 Genechip ® array which contains a complete set of known human genes. Data normalisation, data filtering and pattern identification was performed using Genechip®3.1 software (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA).

Results: This has revealed the involvement of a large number of genes coding for transcriptional regulators upstream from the extracellular and cell-cell signalling molecules already known to be involved in osteolysis and deep infection and which may ultimately control the responses to wear particles and bacterial challenge. Differential expression of genes involved in cell survival and death, cell growth regulation, cell metabolism, inflammation and immune response was found. Most interestingly pathways for control of local bone resorption and inflammatory response have been shown to be highly activated.

Conclusions: The identification of these new pathogenetic mechanisms of total hip replacement failure make new indicators of disease susceptibility and prognosis plus new drug targets direct possibilities.