Aims. Outcomes of current operative treatments for
As has been shown in larger animal models, knee immobilization can lead to arthrofibrotic phenotypes. Our study included 168 C57BL/6J female mice, with 24 serving as controls, and 144 undergoing a knee procedure to induce a contracture without osteoarthritis (OA). Experimental knees were immobilized for either four weeks (72 mice) or eight weeks (72 mice), followed by a remobilization period of zero weeks (24 mice), two weeks (24 mice), or four weeks (24 mice) after suture removal. Half of the experimental knees also received an intra-articular injury. Biomechanical data were collected to measure passive extension angle (PEA). Histological data measuring area and thickness of posterior and anterior knee capsules were collected from knee sections.Aims
Methods
The goal of this study was to determine whether intra-articular
administration of the potentially anti-fibrotic agent decorin influences
the expression of genes involved in the fibrotic cascade, and ultimately
leads to less contracture, in an animal model. A total of 18 rabbits underwent an operation on their right knees
to form contractures. Six limbs in group 1 received four intra-articular
injections of decorin; six limbs in group 2 received four intra-articular
injections of bovine serum albumin (BSA) over eight days; six limbs
in group 3 received no injections. The contracted limbs of rabbits
in group 1 were biomechanically and genetically compared with the
contracted limbs of rabbits in groups 2 and 3, with the use of a
calibrated joint measuring device and custom microarray, respectively.Objectives
Methods
This study aimed to investigate time-dependent gene expression
of injured human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and to evaluate
the histological changes of the ACL remnant in terms of cellular
characterisation. Injured human ACL tissues were harvested from 105 patients undergoing
primary ACL reconstruction and divided into four phases based on
the period from injury to surgery. Phase I was <
three weeks,
phase II was three to eight weeks, phase III was eight to 20 weeks,
and phase IV was ≥ 21 weeks. Gene expressions of these tissues were
analysed in each phase by quantitative real-time polymerase chain
reaction using selected markers (collagen types 1 and 3, biglycan,
decorin, α-smooth muscle actin, IL-6, TGF-β1, MMP-1, MMP-2 and TIMP-1).
Immunohistochemical staining was also performed using primary antibodies
against CD68, CD55, Stat3 and phosphorylated-Stat3 (P-Stat3). Objectives
Methods