Delayed tendon healing after injury in tetranectin-deficient mice

Tetranectin, a plasminogen-binding protein, is present in human serum and has a role in tissue remodeling. The wound healing process is established and follows a similar cascade in tendon tissue as in other tissues. In this study, we investigated whether tetranectin has a role in regulating tissue formation of injured tendon.

Using the patella tendon injury model in the tetranectin-null mice, healing processes of the injured tendon were evaluated by histological and immunohistochemical analyses, and measurement of the expression of tetranectin, type 1 collagen (Col 1), tenomodulin, scleraxis, TGFβ, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α.

At the inflammatory phase within 7 days after the injury, involvement of inflammatory cells and the expressions of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly decreased in tetranectin-null mice. Tetranectin expression increased at 1 day and peaked at 3 days, and finally disappeared at 7 days after the injury in wild-type mice. The tendon healing period and maturity were significantly delayed in the tetranectin-null mice. Expression levels of type 1 collagen and tenomodulin in tetranectin-null mice were significantly lower than those in the wild-type mice until 70 days after injury. With regard to the long-term processes, the healing and maturation of the injured tendon in tetranectin-null mice were eventually completed.

We believe that tetranectin might have a potential role in enhancing tissue formation of healing tendon at the inflammatory phase after injuries. The characteristics of tetranectin as a purified protein from human serum could be interested in an attractive candidate as a potential agent to enhance tendon healing after injury.