Amniotic Suspension Allograft Modulates Inflammation in a Rat Pain Model of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects over 301 million adults worldwide. Inflammation is a recognized component of the OA process; two potent pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in OA are interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α. Placental-derived tissues and fluids are known to contain anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokines and growth factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of amniotic suspension allograft (ASA) in an in vivo model of OA; we evaluated pain, function, and cytokine levels following ASA treatment in the rat monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) OA pain model. Rats were injected with 2 mg of MIA, which causes pain, cartilage degeneration, and inflammation, followed by treatment with saline, triamcinolone (positive control), or ASA 7 days following disease induction with MIA. Behavioral assays, including gait analysis, mechanical pain threshold, incapacitance, and swelling were evaluated, along with histology and serum and synovial fluid biomarkers. Treatment with ASA resulted in significant improvements in pain threshold, while weight bearing aversion and swelling were significantly decreased. There were no differences between groups in total joint score after histological grading. Serum biomarkers did not show differences, indicating a lack of systemic response; however, synovial fluid levels of IL-10 were significantly increased in animals treated with ASA. ASA treatment significantly reduced pain, weight-bearing aversion and swelling. This study provides mechanistic data regarding potential therapeutic effects of ASA in OA and preliminary evidence of the anti-inflammatory nature of ASA. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 38:1141-1149, 2020.