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Published on: March 19, 2018
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Tendinosis-like changes in denervated rat Achilles tendon
Roine El-Habta1, Jialin Chen2, Jessica Pingel3
1Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Section for Anatomy, Umeå University, Johan Bures väg 12, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden. roine.el-habta@umu.se.
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
|December 1, 2018
Summary
Denervation of rat Achilles tendons caused significant morphological and biochemical changes, including increased cell number and altered collagen production. These changes in denervated tendons resemble those seen in tendinosis.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Biochemistry
- Histopathology
Background:
- Tendon disorders cause significant pain and disability.
- While common tendinopathies like 'tennis elbow' and 'jumper's knee' are well-studied, changes in denervated tendons remain unclear.
- Understanding denervation effects is crucial for tendon repair and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate morphological and biochemical alterations in rat Achilles tendons after two weeks of denervation.
- To compare changes in denervated tendons with their contralateral, non-denervated counterparts.
- To evaluate the expression of neuromodulators, including substance P and neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), in denervated tendons.
Main Methods:
- Unilateral sciatic nerve transection was used to induce denervation in rat Achilles tendons.
- Morphological analysis included cell number, nuclear roundness, and collagen fiber structure.
- Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assessed the expression of substance P and NK-1R.
Main Results:
- Denervated tendons exhibited hypercellularity and cell disfigurement.
- Significant disorganization of the collagen network and increased type III collagen production were observed.
- Increased expression of neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) was detected in denervated tendons.
Conclusions:
- Denervation induces notable histopathological changes in the Achilles tendon.
- The observed changes in denervated tendons share similarities with the characteristics of tendinosis.
- These findings offer new insights into the pathology of denervated tendons.
