Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of articular cartilage degeneration in traumatic osteoarthritis is not yet clear. In recent years, studies found that imbalance of synthesis and degradation of extracellular matrix is one of the important reasons for the cartilage degeneration. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) may plays a decisive role in this process.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of MMPs-13 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in cartilage of traumatic arthritis model, and relationship between MMPs-13, TIMP-1 and cartilage degeneration.
METHODS: Healthy adult New Zealand rabbits were used to construct mild and severe traumatic arthritis models which were established with gravity method (1.33 kg, 46 cm height and 0.43 kg, 20 cm height, respectively).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of both MMP-13 and TIMP-1 were significantly increased in the mild and severe traumatic groups (P < 0.05). Expression of TIMP-1 in the severe traumatic group was higher than that of in the mild traumatic group (P < 0.05). This shows that there is certain increase of MMP-13 and TIMP-1 in post-traumatic osteoarthritis. MMP-13 and TIMP-1 together to promote the degeneration of articular cartilage, and the over-expression of TIMP-1 may be one of the reasons in the further impairment to articular cartilage.