Effects of glycosaminoglycan polysulphate on the organisation of collagen fibres in experimentally induced tendonitis in horses.

This research study focuses on the effects of glycosaminoglycan polysulphate (GAGPS) on the arrangement of collagen fibres in tendonitis (an inflammation of the tendon) artificially induced in horses. The results indicate that treatment with GAGPS led to a noticeable increase in the organization of collagen bundles.

Research Methodology

• The study begins by artificially inducing inflammation in the tendons of 10 horses. This was achieved by injecting bacterial collagenase into the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of the left thoracic limb.
• A week after the inflammation was induced, the horses were divided into two groups of five and given different treatments. Group 1 horses received treatment with glycosaminoglycan polysulphate (GAGPS), while group 2 were treated with a saline solution.
• About 150 days after the initial tendinitis induction, the horses were euthanised, and samples from their SDFTs were taken for analysis.

Data Collection

• The tendon samples were frozen at -14 degrees Celsius and sectioned into 5 to 7 micrometres both longitudinally and transversely.
• The samples were then stained using the picrosirius red method, a histochemical stain that helps identify collagen fibres.
• These stained samples underwent morphometric analysis to quantify and compare the organized and disorganized collagen bundles in both groups.

Research Findings

• The primary outcome of the research reveals that there were significantly more organized bundles of collagen observed in the tendons treated with GAGPS.
• This suggests that GAGPS treatment could potentially lead to an increase in the organization of collagen fibers in tendonitis cases.
• However, the specific effects of this increased organization on the recovery process or the functional integrity of the tendon will need to be explored further.