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. 1997 Apr;56(4):255–261. doi: 10.1136/ard.56.4.255

Immobilisation causes longlasting matrix changes both in the immobilised and contralateral joint cartilage

M Jortikka 1, R Inkinen 1, M Tammi 1, J Parkkinen 1, J Haapala 1, I Kiviranta 1, H Helminen 1, M Lammi 1
PMCID: PMC1752361  PMID: 9165998

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—The capacity of articular cartilage matrix to recover during 50 weeks of remobilisation after an atrophy caused by 11 weeks of immobilisation of the knee (stifle) joint in 90° flexion starting at the age of 29 weeks, was studied in young beagle dogs.
METHODS—Proteoglycan concentration (uronic acid) and synthesis ([35S]sulphate incorporation) were determined in six and three knee joint surface locations, respectively. Proteoglycans extracted from the cartilages were characterised by chemical determinations, gel filtration, and western blotting for chondroitin sulphate epitope 3B3.
RESULTS—The proteoglycan concentrations that were reduced in all sample sites immediately after the immobilisation, remained 14-28% lower than controls after 50 weeks of remobilisation in the patella, the summit of medial femoral condyle, and the superior femoropatellar surface. In the contralateral joint, there was a 49% increase of proteoglycans in the inferior femoropatellar surface after remobilisation, while a 34% decrease was simultaneously noticed on the summit of the medial femoral condyle. Total proteoglycan synthesis was not significantly changed after immobilisation or 50 weeks' remobilisation in the treated or contralateral joint, compared with age matched controls. The chondroitin 6- to 4- sulphate ratio was reduced by immobilisation both in the radioactively labelled and the total tissue proteoglycans. In the remobilised joint, this ratio was restored in femur, while in tibia it remained at a level lower than controls. Neither immobilisation nor remobilisation induced epitopes recognised by the monoclonal antibody 3B3 on native (undigested) proteoglycans.
CONCLUSION—These results show that the depletion of proteoglycans observed after 11 weeks of immobilisation was not completely restored in certain surface sites after 50 weeks of remobilisation. The significant changes that developed in the contralateral joint during the remobilisation period give further support to the idea that a permanent alteration of matrix metabolism results even from a temporary modification of loading pattern in immature joints.



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Figure 1  .

Figure 1  

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Concentration of extractable uronic acid in the articular cartilage of canine knee joints after 11 weeks of immobilisation (Imm), and after 50 weeks' remobilisation (Rem)of the limb that had been cast. The concentration of uronic acid was measured as nmol per mg wet weight, and the results were normalised to the level of littermate control animals (100% level shown in the figure). The shaded range in the background of each histogram indicates 1 SD from the mean of controls. Superior femoropatellar area, FPS; inferior femoropatellar area, FPI; anterior medial femoral condyle, FMA; intermediate section of the medial femoral condyle, FMI; patella, PAT; medial tibial condyle, TM; filled bars, immobilised or remobilised joint; open bars, contralateral joint. Asterisk shows significant changes (p≤0.05) compared with age matched control group.

Figure 2  .

Figure 2  

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Immobilisation and remobilisation effects on proteoglycan size analysed with Sephacryl S-500 gel filtration. Pooled extracts from the immobilised anterior medial femoral condyle (FMA) and its contralateral joint (A and B, respectively), and remobilised and its contralateral joint (C and D, respectively) were chromatographed in the presence of 4 M GuCl, and the fractions were analysed for total proteoglycans (A and C) and for radioactivity (B and D). Each chromatography was repeated three times to confirm the changes in the profiles. Open symbols represent samples from the control group, and closed symbols those from the immobilised/remobilised limbs, treated and contralateral shown in separate panels.

Selected References

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