Autologous rib perichondrial grafts in experimentally induced osteochondral lesions in the sheep-knee joint: Morphological results

Summary The purpose of the present study was to examine the fate of autologous perichondrial grafts after transplantation into cartilage lesions in weight-bearing joints. Osteochondral lesions were made in the articular surface of knee joints in 36 sheep. The defects were filled with autologous rib perichondrial grafts which were secured by either collagen sponges (12 animals) or fibrin glue (12 animals). Defects without perichondrial grafts served as controls (12 animals). Following 1 week of immobilization of the operated leg, the plaster was removed and the animals were allowed to move freely. Animals were sacrificed after 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. The grafts were removed and investigated histologically. In contrast to weight-bearing areas and control defects, hyaline-like cartilage formation was seen in non-weightbearing areas after 4 weeks. This newly formed cartilage revealed strong metachromasia following staining with acidic toluidine blue and reacted positively with periodic acid-Schiff, indicating de novo synthesis of proteoglycans and glycoproteins. Scanning electron microscopy and examinations with polarized light confirmed a hyaline cartilage-like architecture for the surface area as well as for the fibre orientation of the whole graft. Enzyme histochemistry for alkaline and acid phosphatase activity showed positive reactivity only at the base of the transplants.     

A novel de novo PDGFRB variant in a child with severe cerebral malformations,intracerebral calcifications,and infantile myofibromatosis

The spectrum of clinical consequences of variants in the Platelet derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRB) gene is wide. Missense variants leading to variable loss of signal transduction in vitro have been reported in the idiopathic basal ganglia calcification (IBGC) syndrome Type 4. In contrast, gain‐of‐function variants have been reported in infantile myofibromatosis, Penttinen syndrome, and Kosaki overgrowth syndrome. Here, we report a patient harboring a novel postzygotic variant in PDGFRB (c.1682_1684del, p.[Arg561_Tyr562delinsHis]) and presenting severe cerebral malformations, intracerebral calcifications, and infantile myofibromatosis. This observation expands the phenotype associated with PDGFRB variants and illustrates the wide clinical spectrum linked to dysregulation of PDGFRB.     

Anti-arthritic properties of FK506 on collagen-induced arthritis in rats

Objective and design:To determine the effect of FK506 (tacrolimus) on paw inflammation, TNF- expression in joint, and bone and cartilage destruction in type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model in rats.Methods:CIA was induced by immunization of female Lewis rats with an emulsion of bovine type II collagen and incomplete Freunds adjuvant. Paw inflammation was assessed by the increase in paw volume. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) - expression in hind knee joint was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. Lesions of bone and cartilage were assessed on the basis of histological change in knee joint, radiographic analysis in hind paw, bone mineral density in femora and proteoglycan contents in the cartilage of femoral heads. FK506 at doses of 1, 1.8 and 3.2 mg/kg or its placebo formulation was orally administered to rats for 28 days from the day after immunization (n = 10). Effect of FK506 was compared with that of vehicle (distilled water).Results:FK506 at a dose of 1.8 mg/kg significantly suppressed paw swelling (p < 0.01) and histological change in knee joint (p < 0.05). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- was mainly expressed in the region with a marked infiltration of inflammatory cells in the hind knee joint. FK506 (3.2 mg/kg) markedly reduced TNF- expression. FK506 at a dose of 1.8 mg/kg suppressed radiographic changes in hind paw (p < 0.05) and also recovered the decrease in bone mineral density in the femora (p < 0.05). Proteoglycan contents in the cartilage of femoral heads were determined to evaluate the cartilage destruction more quantitatively and found to significantly decrease in CIA rats. FK506 at a dose of 1.8 mg/kg recovered the loss of proteoglycan contents (p < 0.01).Conclusion:These results show that FK506 is effective in suppressing inflammation, TNF- expression in joint, and damage to bone and cartilage in rat CIA, and may be useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.     

Surface tension of animal cartilage as it relates to friction in joints

Measurements of the surface tension of articular cartilage and friction experiments were carried out to provide further evidence in support of a new theory regarding the mechanism of friction in joints. To determine the surface tension of cartilage, contact angle measurements were used in conjunction with the equation of state for interfacial tensions. The advancing contact angle between saline drops and articular cartilage was found to be 100°±5°, indicating a highly hydrophobic surface. The corresponding surface tension value was calculated to be 22.5 ergs/cm². Friction of cartilage against hydrophobic surfaces is shown to be lower than the friction of cartilage against hydrophilic surfaces. All these results further support the theory that lubrication by nonwetting drops occurs in joints and may be responsible for the exceptional friction characteristics of the joints.     

Age-related changes in the articular cartilage of human sacroiliac joint

 Iliac and sacral articular cartilage of 25 human sacroiliac joints (1–93 years) are examined by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry in order to gain further insight into the nature and progress of degenerative changes appearing during aging. These changes can already be seen in younger adults as compared to cartilage degeneration known in other diarthrodial joints. Structural differences between sacral and iliac cartilage can already be observed in the infant: the sacral auricular facet is covered with a hyaline articular cartilage, reaching 4 mm in thickness in the adult and staining intensely blue with alcian blue at pH1. Iliac cartilage of the newborn is composed of a dense fibrillar network of thick collagen bundles, crossing each other at approximately right angles. A faint staining with alcian blue suggests a low content of acidic glycosaminoglycans. In the adult, iliac cartilage becomes hyaline and its maximal thickness reaches 1–2 mm. Both articular facets exhibit morphological changes during aging that are more pronounced in the iliac cartilage and resemble osteoarthritic degeneration; the staining pattern of the extracellular matrix becomes inhomogenous, chondrocytes are arranged in clusters and the articular surface develops superficial irregularities and fissures. Sometimes fibrous tissue fills up these defects. Nevertheless, large areas of iliac cartilage remain hyaline in nature. Sacral articular cartilage often remains largely unaltered until old age. The sacral subchondral bone plate is usually thin and shows spongiosa trabeculae inserted at right angles, suggesting a perpendicular load on the articular facet. Iliac subchondral spongiosa shows no definite alignment and joins the thickened subchondral bone plate in an oblique direction. The iliac cartilage therefore seems to be stressed predominantly by shearing forces, arising from the changing monopodal support of the pelvis during locomotion. The subchondral bone plate on both the iliac and sacral auricular facet is penetrated by blood vessels that come into close contact with the overlying articular cartilage. These vessels may contribute to the high incidence of rheumatoid and inflammatory diseases in the human sacroiliac joint. Immunolabelling with an antibody against type II collagen reveals a diminished immunoreactivity in the upper half of adult sacral cartilage and only a faint and irregular labelling in the iliac cartilage. Type I collagen can be detected in a superficial layer on the sacral articular surface and around chondrocyte clusters in iliac cartilage, as in dedifferentiating chondrocytes during the development of osteoarthritis. Accepted: 22 April 1998     

Dithiocarbamates inhibit IL-1-induced cartilage degradation in bovine articular cartilage explants

Interleukin-1-stimulated cartilage degradation in bovine articular cartilage explants is effectively inhibited by several different dithiocarbamates with IC₅₀'s in the micromolar range.accepted by W. B. van den BergSupported by OsteoArthritis Sciences, Inc.     

终板蛋白多糖的变化对颈椎间盘力学性能的影响

目的:通过测定退变颈椎间盘压缩性能的改变,同时观测软骨终板基质蛋白多糖(proteoglycan PG)的变化,为退变的椎间盘显现异常力学特性作一分子机制上的探讨。方法:将24只家兔随机分为对照组和模型组,模型组家兔保持45°低屈曲住5小时/次·天,取C5-6椎间盘进行生物力学测定;同时生化测定椎间盘终板糖胺多糖(glycosaminoglycan,GAG)总量、硫酸软骨素(chongdroitin sulphate,CS)和硫酸角质素(keratan sulphate,KS)比值和透明质酸(hyaluronic acid,HA)含量;总结分析颈椎间盘退变时基质各成分的系统变化及其对椎间盘力学性能的影响。结果:模型组终板抗压强度、断裂时的最大形变、终板基质蛋白多糖总含量、硫酸软骨素/硫酸角质素比值、透明质酸含量都低于对照组(P<0.05),并随造模进程的深入而减小。结论:长时间的应力不均状态,造成椎间盘终板材料力学特性改变;颈椎间盘基质蛋白多糖含量和成分改变是颈椎间盘生物力学性能减退的主要原因之一。     

Ultrastructural aspects of chondrodystrophia calcificans congenita (syndrome of Conradi-Hünermann)

Summary An ultrastructural study of chondrodystrophia calcificans congenita is reported. Foci of initial calcification of cartilage are characterized by coexistence of three different types of crystals, probably due to abnormal proteoglycan composition of cartilage matrix. The calcification process in chondrodystrophia calcificans congenita is apparently not related to matrix vesicles as it is in normal cartilage.     

Human Osteogenic Sarcoma: Fine Structure of Hard Tissue Areas

The structure of hard tissue areas (with osteoid and calcified matrix) in 10 osteoblastic, chondroblastic, and fibroblastic osteogenic sarcomas was studied in the electron microscope. Neoplastic cells commonly associated with these areas and presumably actively involved in the production of hard tissue were osteo-blastlike cells types 1 and 3, chondroblastlike cells type 1, and fibroblastlike cells, as defined and characterized in previous studies. The cells differed from those in soft tissue areas of osteogenic sarcomas in but one respect: they usually showed presence of irregular extrusions at their surfaces. Other types of osteoblastlike and chondroblastlike cells occurred rarely or not at all. Two types of multinucleated giant cells were recognized in these areas, one showing a fine structure reminiscent of that in osteoclasts, the other probably being of a neoplastic nature and engaged in the production of the calcifying matrix. The evidence suggested that neoplastic osteoblastlike, chondroblastlike, and fibrolastlike cells as well as certain multincleated giant cells might all be involved in the mineralization process and/or the formation of osteoid in osteogenic sarcomas. Although phenotypically of highly variable appearance, all these different cells may thus functionally (and probably histogenetically) be closely related.

The mineralization process in the tumor tissue appeared to be a modification of what occurs in normal ossification, possibly with an alternative or complementary pathway involving the production of spherical bodies with layered contents.     

Plasminogen modulation of IL-1-stimulated degradation in bovine and human articular cartilage explants. The role of the endogenous inhibitors: PAI-1,α 2-antiplasmin,α 1-PI,α 2-macroglobulin and TIMP

The studies described here examine the involvement of the fibrinolytic cascade and its endogenous inhibitors in the regulation of activity of matrix metalloproteinases and cartilage degradation related to non-inflammatory joint disease, like osteoarthritis. An interleukin-1-induced model of degradation using [³⁵S]-labeled bovine and human articular cartilage explants was utilized. One goal of these studies was to compare the responses of bovine and human articular cartilage. Degradation was not inhibited by ₁-PI, PAI-1, ₂-macroglobulin, ₂-antiplasmin or TIMP-2, when IL-1 alone was added. Addition of human plasminogen to bovine explants, at concentrations found in human synovial fluid, increased degradation by three to fourfold. Under these conditions, the degradation was inhibited effectively by all of the endogenous inhibitors tested, indicating the presence of a cascade where activated chondrocytes are a source of u-PA. Plasminogen activated by u-PA gives plasmin, which is known to further activate pro-stromelysin. Stromelysin is essential for activation of collegenase. Not only TIMP, but also inhibitors at earlier steps of activation like PAI-1, ₂-antiplasmin, ₁-PI and ₂-macroglobulin inhibited degradation, and could provide cartilage protection in vivo. An experiment with human articular cartilage explants showed that very little or no degradation occurred when human articular cartilage explants were stimulated with interleukin-1 alone. Addition of human plasminogen (at physiologically relevant concentrations) resulted in significant degradation, which was inhibited in the same manner as in bovine explants, by inhibitors of the fibrinolytic cascade and TIMP. TIMP is much more efficient in human explants, indicating the limited participation of human plasmin in the degradation of human cartilage. Although speculative, it is possible that in vivo, cartilage degradation could be promoted not only by TIMP/MMP imbalance, but also accelerated by decreased levels of certain serpins in synovial fluid (e.g. PAIs, ₂-antiplasmin and ₁-PI).accepted by W. B. van den BergWork supported by OsteoArthritis Science Inc., One Kendall Square, Bldg. 200, Cambridge, MA 01139, USA.