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Clinically relevant intra-articular corticosteroid doses impair equine osteoclast function in vitro
Gwladys Malek1, Louis Kamus1, Hélène Richard1
1Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Objective:
To assess the effects of clinically relevant doses of commonly employed intra-articular corticosteroids-specifically, triamcinolone acetonide (TCA), methylprednisolone acetate (MPA), and combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate (BM)-on equine osteoclasts.
Study Design:
In vitro controlled laboratory study.
Sample Population:
Three donor mares (13-19 years).
Methods:
Following differentiation from bone marrow aspirates, osteoclasts were cultured alone (pure osteoclast cultures; n = 18 wells per group) or on equine bone slices (osteoclast-bone cultures; n = 6 wells per group) and treated with TCA (36 μg/mL), MPA (48 μg/mL), or BM (4 μg/mL). Untreated wells were controls. Outcome parameters included number of osteoclasts, bone resorption area and media biomarker concentrations, specifically tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform-5b (TRACP-5b) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results:
In pure osteoclast cultures (n = 16 wells in control and BM groups; n = 17 wells in TCA and MPA groups), mature osteoclast numbers were lower following corticosteroid addition compared with controls (MPA, p < .001; TCA, p = .009; BM, p = .002), and lower in the MPA group than the TCA group (p = .015). There was no difference in TRACP-5b between groups. In osteoclast-bone cultures (n = 5 in control group; n = 6 wells in TCA, MPA and BM groups), CTX-I decreased with MPA treatment compared with controls (p = .001), TCA (p = .006), and BM (p = .007) groups. TRACP-5b decreased with TCA compared with controls (p = .001). No differences in bone resorption area were measured.
Conclusion:
Clinically relevant doses of commonly employed intra-articular corticosteroids-TCA, MPA, and BM-impacted equine osteoclast activity in vitro.
Clinical Significance:
Understanding that intra-articular corticosteroids may influence osteoclast activity, potentially affecting subchondral bone remodeling and repair, is important for guiding judicious use in equine joint management.
