Ovariectomy alters the structural and biomechanical properties of ovine femoro-tibial articular cartilage and increases cartilage iNOS

AbstractTo evaluate the performance of a composite scaffold of Wharton’s jelly (WJ) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) and the effect of the composite scaffold loaded with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) in repairing articular cartilage defects, two experiments were carried out. The in vitro experiments involved identification of the hUCMSCs, construction of the biomimetic composite scaffolds by the physical and chemical crosslinking of WJ and CS, and testing of the biomechanical properties of both the composite scaffold and the WJ scaffold. In the in vivo experiments, composite scaffolds loaded with hUCMSCs and WJ scaffolds loaded with hUCMSCs were applied to repair articular cartilage defects in the rat knee. Moreover, their repair effects were evaluated by the unaided eye, histological observations, and the immunogenicity of scaffolds and hUCMSCs. We found that in vitro, the Young’s modulus of the composite scaffold (WJ-CS) was higher than that of the WJ scaffold. In vivo, the composite scaffold loaded with hUCMSCs repaired rat cartilage defects better than did the WJ scaffold loaded with hUCMSCs. Both the scaffold and hUCMSCs showed low immunogenicity. These results demonstrate that the in vitro construction of a human-derived WJ-CS composite scaffold enhances the biomechanical properties of WJ and that the repair of knee cartilage defects in rats is better with the composite scaffold than with the single WJ scaffold if the scaffold is loaded with hUCMSCs.

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Biomechanical properties of articular cartilage as a standard for biologically integrated interfaces

Technology and Health Care ◽

10.3233/thc-2006-14610 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 541-547

Author(s):

J. Fierlbeck ◽

J. Hammer ◽

C. Englert ◽

R.L. Reuben

Keyword(s):

Articular Cartilage ◽

Biomechanical Properties

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Mice Lacking the Matrilin Family of Extracellular Matrix Proteins Develop Mild Skeletal Abnormalities and Are Susceptible to Age-Associated Osteoarthritis

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21020666 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 666 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ping Li ◽

Lutz Fleischhauer ◽

Claudia Nicolae ◽

Carina Prein ◽

Zsuzsanna Farkas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Extracellular Matrix ◽

Articular Cartilage ◽

Growth Plate ◽

Lumbar Vertebra ◽

Adaptor Proteins ◽

Biomechanical Properties ◽

Dominant Negative ◽

Endochondral Bone Formation ◽

Appendicular Skeleton ◽

Skeletal Phenotype

Matrilins (MATN1, MATN2, MATN3 and MATN4) are adaptor proteins of the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), which bridge the collagen II and proteoglycan networks. In humans, dominant-negative mutations in MATN3 lead to various forms of mild chondrodysplasias. However, single or double matrilin knockout mice generated previously in our laboratory do not show an overt skeletal phenotype, suggesting compensation among the matrilin family members. The aim of our study was to establish a mouse line, which lacks all four matrilins and analyze the consequence of matrilin deficiency on endochondral bone formation and cartilage function. Matn1-4−/− mice were viable and fertile, and showed a lumbosacral transition phenotype characterized by the sacralization of the sixth lumbar vertebra. The development of the appendicular skeleton, the structure of the growth plate, chondrocyte differentiation, proliferation, and survival were normal in mutant mice. Biochemical analysis of knee cartilage demonstrated moderate alterations in the extractability of the binding partners of matrilins in Matn1-4−/− mice. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed comparable compressive stiffness but higher collagen fiber diameters in the growth plate cartilage of quadruple mutant compared to wild-type mice. Importantly, Matn1-4−/− mice developed more severe spontaneous osteoarthritis at the age of 18 months, which was accompanied by changes in the biomechanical properties of the articular cartilage. Interestingly, Matn4−/− mice also developed age-associated osteoarthritis suggesting a crucial role of MATN4 in maintaining the stability of the articular cartilage. Collectively, our data provide evidence that matrilins are important to protect articular cartilage from deterioration and are involved in the specification of the vertebral column.

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Assessment of Native Human Articular Cartilage: A Biomechanical Protocol

Cartilage ◽

10.1177/1947603520973240 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 194760352097324

Author(s):

Wassif Kabir ◽

Claudia Di Bella ◽

Peter F.M. Choong ◽

Cathal D. O’Connell

Keyword(s):

Articular Cartilage ◽

Poisson Ratio ◽

Cartilage Tissue Engineering ◽

Biomechanical Properties ◽

Cartilage Tissue ◽

Loading Frequency ◽

Human Articular Cartilage ◽

Compression Tests ◽

Human Knee ◽

Viscoelastic Parameters

Objectives Recapitulating the mechanical properties of articular cartilage (AC) is vital to facilitate the clinical translation of cartilage tissue engineering. Prior to evaluation of tissue-engineered constructs, it is fundamental to investigate the biomechanical properties of native AC under sudden, prolonged, and cyclic loads in a practical manner. However, previous studies have typically reported only the response of native AC to one or other of these loading regimes. We therefore developed a streamlined testing protocol to characterize the elastic and viscoelastic properties of human knee AC, generating values for several important parameters from the same sample. Design Human AC was harvested from macroscopically normal regions of distal femoral condyles of patients ( n = 3) undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Indentation and unconfined compression tests were conducted under physiological conditions (temperature 37 °C and pH 7.4) and testing parameters (strain rates and loading frequency) to assess elastic and viscoelastic parameters. Results The biomechanical properties obtained were as follows: Poisson ratio (0.4 ± 0.1), instantaneous modulus (52.14 ± 9.47 MPa) at a loading rate of 1 mm/s, Young’s modulus (1.03 ± 0.48 MPa), equilibrium modulus (7.48 ± 4.42 MPa), compressive modulus (10.60 ± 3.62 MPa), dynamic modulus (7.71 ± 4.62 MPa) at 1 Hz and loss factor (0.11 ± 0.02). Conclusions The measurements fell within the range of reported values for human knee AC biomechanics. To the authors’ knowledge this study is the first to report such a range of biomechanical properties for human distal femoral AC. This protocol may facilitate the assessment of tissue-engineered composites for their functionality and biomechanical similarity to native AC prior to clinical trials.

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Biomechanical properties of third carpal articular cartilage in exercised and nonexercised horses

Journal of Orthopaedic Research® ◽

10.1002/jor.1100130608 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 854-860 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

J. L. Palmer ◽

A. L. Bertone ◽

J. Mansour ◽

B. G. Carter ◽

C. J. Malemud

Keyword(s):

Articular Cartilage ◽

Biomechanical Properties

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Ameliorating Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) Loss and Cell Death in Articular Cartilage Following Single-Impact Loading

ASME 2007 Summer Bioengineering Conference ◽

10.1115/sbc2007-176542 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Roman M. Natoli ◽

Kyriacos A. Athanasiou

Keyword(s):

Extracellular Matrix ◽

Cell Death ◽

Articular Cartilage ◽

Impact Loading ◽

Biomechanical Properties ◽

Cartilage Explants ◽

Single Impact ◽

Igf I ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Bioactive Agents

Impact loading of articular cartilage leads to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA) through its effects on the cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) of the tissue. Studies have shown the level of impact or injurious compression correlates with increased cell death, degradation of the ECM, and detrimental changes in biomechanical properties [1]. Recently, several bioactive agents, such as P188 and IGF-I, have shown promising results by reducing cell death following injurious compression of cartilage explants [2, 3].

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Aggrecan Hypomorphism Compromises Articular Cartilage Biomechanical Properties and Is Associated with Increased Incidence of Spontaneous Osteoarthritis

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms20051008 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (5) ◽

pp. 1008 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Paolo Alberton ◽

Hans Dugonitsch ◽

Bastian Hartmann ◽

Ping Li ◽

Zsuzsanna Farkas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Articular Cartilage ◽

Cartilage Degeneration ◽

Biomechanical Properties ◽

Cartilage Tissue ◽

Gene Encoding ◽

Adult Mice ◽

Skeletal Malformations ◽

Wide Range ◽

Normal Expression ◽

Cartilage Erosion

The gene encoding the proteoglycan aggrecan (Agc1) is abundantly expressed in cartilage during development and adulthood, and the loss or diminished deposition of the protein results in a wide range of skeletal malformations. Furthermore, aggrecan degradation is a hallmark of cartilage degeneration occurring in osteoarthritis. In the present study, we investigated the consequences of a partial loss of aggrecan in the postnatal skeleton and in the articular cartilage of adult mice. We took advantage of the previously described Agc1tm(IRES-CreERT2) mouse line, which allows for conditional and timely-regulated deletion of floxed, cartilage-expressed genes. As previously reported, the introduction of the CreERT2 cassette in the 3’UTR causes a disruption of the normal expression of Agc1 resulting in a hypomorphic deposition of the protein. In homozygous mice, we observed a dwarf phenotype, which persisted throughout adulthood supporting the evidence that reduced aggrecan amount impairs skeletal growth. Homozygous mice exhibited reduced proteoglycan staining of the articular cartilage at 6 and 12 months of age, increased stiffening of the extracellular matrix at six months, and developed severe cartilage erosion by 12 months. The osteoarthritis in the hypomorph mice was not accompanied by increased expression of catabolic enzymes and matrix degradation neoepitopes. These findings suggest that the degeneration found in homozygous mice is likely due to the compromised mechanical properties of the cartilage tissue upon aggrecan reduction.

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