Characterization of experimentally induced post-traumatic osteoarthritis in the medial femorotibial joint of horses.
Abstract: To study osteoarthritis in the equine medial femorotibial (MFT) joint after a single traumatic injury. Methods: 10 mature horses. Methods: In vitro explant cultures were used to determine injury threshold for stifle joint cartilage. Contusive impacts were applied to the medial femoral condyle (MFC), and horses were followed for 84 (n = 5) and 180 days (5). Synovial fluid samples were collected every 14 days for determination of sulphated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) concentrations. Radiographic and lameness evaluations were performed. Gross and histologic descriptions, and immunohistochemistry, cartilage sGAG content determination, and cartilage aggregate modulus determination were performed at the MFC impact site (MFCi), MFC nonimpact site (MFCn), and medial tibial plateau (MTP). Results: Synovial fluid sGAG concentration decreased significantly on days 14, 28, 42, and 56 in all horses. Macroscopic and microscopic articular lesions developed within all MFT joints. No radiographic abnormalities were observed. Mild lameness was evident in several horses. No significant differences were found between short-term and longterm cohorts of horses with respect to histologic scores and TUNEL results. On immunohistochemistry, MFCi was positive for COL2-(3/4)C(short). International Cartilage Repair Society scores differed significantly between short-term and long-term cohorts of horses. In all horses, sGAG concentrations were significantly decreased at the MFCi, compared with the MFCn. Conclusions: Use of contusive impacts on the MFC of horses results in cartilage lesions that are similar to those described clinically, supporting trauma as a contributing factor in the natural pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.
Publication Date: 2006-03-02 PubMed ID: 16506905DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.67.3.433Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research is primarily focused on exploring osteoarthritis in horses’ medial femorotibial (MFT) joint after a trauma, specifically a contusive impact on the medial femoral condyle (MFC). The results indicate that such trauma contributes to the formation of cartilage lesions, a common feature in osteoarthritis.
Methodology
- The researchers used in vitro explant cultures to determine the injury threshold for horses’ stifle joint cartilage.
- Ten mature horses were involved in the study. They were subjected to contusive impacts to the medial femoral condyle and monitored for 84 or 180 days.
- Synovial fluid samples were collected every fortnight to measure sulphated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) concentrations, which are indicative of cartilage health.
- Radiographic and lameness evaluations were performed to assess the physical and motor impacts of the experimental trauma.
- Using gross and histologic descriptions, immunohistochemistry, and modulus determination, the researchers observed and measured the effects of the impact at various regions around the joint.
Results
- In all horses, synovial fluid sGAG concentration decreased significantly after the trauma. This occurred at specific intervals – 14, 28, 42, and 56 days post-trauma.
- Observable articular lesions, typical of osteoarthritis, developed in all MFT joints, but no radiographic abnormalities were observed.
- Several horses exhibited mild lameness after the trauma.
- No significant differences were noted in histologic scores and results from terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), a method that detects DNA fragmentation, between horses monitored for short-term and long-term periods.
- Through immunohistochemistry, the trauma site (MFCi) tested positive for COL2-(3/4)C(short), a specific collagenase cleavage product.
- Scored by the International Cartilage Repair Society, the short-term and long-term horse cohorts showed significantly different results.
- In every horse, the sGAG concentration significantly decreased at the trauma site when compared with a nonimpact site.
Conclusion
The research concludes that experimental contusive impacts on horses’ MFC result in characteristics associated with osteoarthritis, specifically, a decrease in the sGAG concentration (implying cartilage health decline) and the development of articular lesions. These findings support the idea that trauma contributes to the natural pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.
Cite This Article
APA
Bolam CJ, Hurtig MB, Cruz A, McEwen BJ.
(2006).
Characterization of experimentally induced post-traumatic osteoarthritis in the medial femorotibial joint of horses.
Am J Vet Res, 67(3), 433-447.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.67.3.433 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Ontario Veterinary College, Comparative Orthopaedic Research Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Glycosaminoglycans / metabolism
- Hindlimb
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Joints / pathology
- Osteoarthritis / metabolism
- Osteoarthritis / pathology
- Osteoarthritis / veterinary
- Synovial Fluid / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- He H, Banks SA, Biedrzycki AH. Anatomical variations of the equine femur and tibia using statistical shape modeling.. PLoS One 2023;18(6):e0287381.
- Andersen C, Jacobsen S, Walters M, Lindegaard C. A detailed macroscopic scoring system for experimental post-traumatic Osteoarthritis in the equine middle carpal joint.. BMC Res Notes 2022 Jun 27;15(1):226.
- Bapat S, Hubbard D, Munjal A, Hunter M, Fulzele S. Pros and cons of mouse models for studying osteoarthritis.. Clin Transl Med 2018 Nov 21;7(1):36.
- Cope PJ, Ourradi K, Li Y, Sharif M. Models of osteoarthritis: the good, the bad and the promising.. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2019 Feb;27(2):230-239.
- Heckelsmiller DJ, James Rudert M, Baer TE, Pedersen DR, Fredericks DC, Goetz JE. Changes in Joint Contact Mechanics in a Large Quadrupedal Animal Model After Partial Meniscectomy and a Focal Cartilage Injury.. J Biomech Eng 2017 May 1;139(5):0545011-5.
- Hatcher CC, Collins AT, Kim SY, Michel LC, Mostertz WC 3rd, Ziemian SN, Spritzer CE, Guilak F, DeFrate LE, McNulty AL. Relationship between T1rho magnetic resonance imaging, synovial fluid biomarkers, and the biochemical and biomechanical properties of cartilage.. J Biomech 2017 Apr 11;55:18-26.
- Henak CR, Bartell LR, Cohen I, Bonassar LJ. Multiscale Strain as a Predictor of Impact-Induced Fissuring in Articular Cartilage.. J Biomech Eng 2017 Mar 1;139(3):0310041-8.
- Bonnevie ED, Delco ML, Fortier LA, Alexander PG, Tuan RS, Bonassar LJ. Characterization of Tissue Response to Impact Loads Delivered Using a Hand-Held Instrument for Studying Articular Cartilage Injury.. Cartilage 2015 Oct;6(4):226-32.
- Alexander PG, Song Y, Taboas JM, Chen FH, Melvin GM, Manner PA, Tuan RS. Development of a Spring-Loaded Impact Device to Deliver Injurious Mechanical Impacts to the Articular Cartilage Surface.. Cartilage 2013 Jan;4(1):52-62.
- McIlwraith CW, Frisbie DD, Kawcak CE. The horse as a model of naturally occurring osteoarthritis.. Bone Joint Res 2012 Nov;1(11):297-309.
- Boyce MK, Trumble TN, Carlson CS, Groschen DM, Merritt KA, Brown MP. Non-terminal animal model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis induced by acute joint injury.. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2013 May;21(5):746-55.
- Gregory MH, Capito N, Kuroki K, Stoker AM, Cook JL, Sherman SL. A review of translational animal models for knee osteoarthritis.. Arthritis 2012;2012:764621.
- Pascual Garrido C, Hakimiyan AA, Rappoport L, Oegema TR, Wimmer MA, Chubinskaya S. Anti-apoptotic treatments prevent cartilage degradation after acute trauma to human ankle cartilage.. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2009 Sep;17(9):1244-51.
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