Abstract
Background: Post traumatic osteoarthritis is a disabling condition impacting mostly young and active population. In the present study we investigated the impact of intra-articular sprifermin, a recombinant truncated fibroblast growth factor 18, on the outcome of microfracture treatment, a widely used surgical technique to enhance cartilage healing at the site of injury. Methods: For the purpose if this study, we created a cartilage defect and performed microfracture treatment in fetlock joints of 18 horses, treated joints with one of three doses of sprifermin (10, 30, or 100 mg) or with saline, hyaluronan (HA), and evaluated animals functional and structural outcomes over 24 weeks. For primary outcome measures we performed histological evaluations and performed gene expression analysis of aggrecan, collagen types I and II, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in three regions of interest. As secondary outcome measures we examined animal’s lameness, performed arthroscopic, radiographic, and CT scan imaging, and gross morphology assessment. Results: We detected the highest treatment benefit following 100 mg sprifermin treatment. Overall histological assessment showed an improvement in the kissing region and expression of constitutive genes showed a concentration dependent enhancement, especially in the peri-lesion area. We detected a significant improvement in lameness scores, arthroscopic evaluations, radiography, and CT scans following sprifermin treatment when results from three dose-treatment groups were combined. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated for the first time, an enhancement in outcomes of the microfracture treatment following sprifermin treatment, suggesting a cartilage regenerative role and a potential benefit of sprifermin treatment in early cartilage injuries.
Human Recombinant Fibroblast Growth Factor-18 (Sprifermin), Enhances Cartilage Healing in a Cartilage Injury Model
