Magnetic resonance evaluation of the interrelationship between articular cartilage and trabecular bone of the osteoarthritic knee

OBJECTIVE: To use high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the relationship between articular cartilage degeneration and trabecular bone changes of the femur, condyles and tibia in human knees with osteoarthritis (OA).METHODS: Subjects were divided into three groups: without OA (OA0), mild OA (OA1) and severe OA (OA2). Sagittal images of the knee (0.234 x 0.234mm2, 2-mm slice thickness) were obtained at 1.5T and used for calculating the volume and thickness of the femoral and tibial cartilage. Axial images (0.195 x 0.195mm2, 1-mm slice thickness) were used for calculating the trabecular bone structure parameters: apparent bone volume fraction, trabecular number, trabecular separation and trabecular thickness.RESULTS: Cartilage volume and thickness were less in patients with OA compared to normal controls (P<0.1). Articular cartilage thinning is associated with bone structure loss in the opposite femoral condyle (P<0.05). In varus OA, there were extensive correlations between medial tibia and medial femoral cartilage degeneration, and loss of bone structure in the lateral tibia and lateral condyle. Additional correlations existed between the compartmental differences (lateral minus medial) of cartilage thickness and bone structure.CONCLUSION: Degradation of articular cartilage within a compartment correlates with a loss of bone structure in the opposite compartment. The correlation between the (L-M) differences corroborates this relationship. Malalignment of the knee due to cartilage degeneration is associated with bone formation in the diseased condyle and bone resorption in the opposite compartment.     

Treatment with recombinant lubricin attenuates osteoarthritis by positive feedback loop between articular cartilage and subchondral bone in ovariectomized rats

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a most commonly multifactorial degenerative joint disease along with the aging population, particularly in postmenopausal women. During the onset of OA, articular cartilage and subchondral bone act in concert as a functional unit. This present study is to investigate the effects of early or late treatment with recombinant lubricin on the onset of osteoarthritis (OA) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. We found that both early and late recombinant lubricin treatments attenuated the onset of OA by positive feedback loop between articular cartilage and subchondral bone, although late treatment contributed to a lesser effect compared with early treatment. Specifically, treatment with recombinant lubricin protected articular cartilage from degeneration, demonstrated by lower proteoglycan loss, lower OARSI scores, less calcification cartilage zone and reduced immunostaining for collagen X (Col X) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-13) but increased the expression of lubricin, in comparison with vehicle-treated OVX rat group. Further, chondroprotective effects of lubricin normalized bone remodeling in subchondral bone underneath. It's suggested that treatment with recombinant lubricin inhibited the elevation of TRAP and Osterix positive cells in OVX rats and led to the normalization of subchondral bone microarchitectures with the suppression of subsidence of bone volume ratio (BV/TV) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and the increase of trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in vehicle-treated OVX rats. What's more, the normalization of subchondral bone in turn attenuated the articular cartilage erosion by inhibiting vascular invasion from subchondral bone to calcified cartilage zone, exemplified by inhibiting the elevation of CD31 positive cells in calcified cartilage and angiography in subchondral bone. Together, these results shed light that both early and late recombinant lubricin treatments attenuate the onset of OA by balancing the interplay between articular cartilage and subchondral bone in OVX rats, while also providing a further rationale for its therapeutic targeting to postmenopausal OA and suggesting that treatment timing is a pivotal factor for better effect acquisition.     

髋关节骨性关节炎组织学计量与炎性因子表达

目的 探讨骨性关节炎各组织成分中细胞冈子、金属基质蛋白酶等炎性物质表达水平与疾病的关系.方法 获取行OA组关节置换及创伤性股骨颈骨折组患者手术时的软骨、滑膜组织和软骨下骨,苏木素-伊红(HE)染色行软骨下骨组织形态计量分析,应用放射免疫测定肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)-α与门细胞介素(IL)-1β,以酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)测金属基质蛋白酶(MMP)-9蛋白表达水平,并将两组结果进行t检验,软骨下骨组织计量值与细胞因子水平进行相关分析.结果 OA组较非OA对照组软骨下骨骨形成增加,骨质硬化骨小梁数目增加并错乱;滑膜组织中MMP-9表达是调;软骨组织中MMP-9及IL-1 β较对照组提高;而在软骨下骨,MMP-9、TNF-α及IL-β均有增高,并且与软骨下骨组织学改变相关联.结论 证实了OA促炎症条件的病理学基础,并且炎性改变与软骨硬化及关节软骨退变相关.     

大鼠膝关节不稳定骨性关节炎软骨与软骨下骨组织微观结构的变化

[目的]观察大鼠膝关节经前交叉韧带切断术(anterior cruciate ligament transection,ACLT)造成关节不稳定情况下,其关节软骨与软骨下骨骨组织微结构的变化.[方法] 20只3个月龄雄性SD大鼠按体重随机分为对照组与实验组,每组10只动物.实验组切断右膝关节前交叉韧带,对照组只暴露前交叉韧带而不切断,术后12周处死所有动物并取材.取右肢股骨远端膝关节于70％酒精固定后脱钙6周,石蜡包埋切片,经HE染色及Masson染色,普通光学显微镜观察摄片,采用图像分析系统做定量分析;取右肢胫骨膝关节于70％酒精固定后不脱钙做硬组织包埋切片,行Van Kossa染色后,定量分析软骨下骨组织微观结构变化.[结果]术后12周后大体观察发现,实验组关节面较对照组明显失去光泽,呈颗粒感,部分软骨面破溃,关节面周围可见骨赘形成;实验组关节软骨HE及Masson染色着色不均,软骨细胞排列紊乱,且实验组Mankin评分结果显著高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05);实验组软骨下骨组织微结构较对照组改变明显,差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).[结论]ACLT术导致膝关节不稳定,在此情况下对大鼠膝关节软骨形态及软骨下骨组织微结构造成显著破坏,若不能及时采取干预措施,将加速膝关节功能退变进程.     

Subchondral bone micro-architectural alterations in osteoarthritis: a synchrotron micro-computed tomography study

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the three-dimensional (3D) micro-architecture of subchondral trabecular (Tb) bone in osteoarthritis (OA). Due to high signal-to-noise ratio and high resolution, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) by synchrotron radiation is considered as the gold standard for bone micro-architecture imaging. DESIGN: Subchondral bone were extracted from femoral heads in OA cases in areas without cartilage (OAc-; n=6) and in adjacent areas with cartilage (OAc+; n=6) and compared to eight subchondral bone cores from osteoporosis cases (OP). The voxel size of images was 10.13 microm. We measured the bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and morphological parameters: Tb thickness (TbTh), Tb spacing (TbSp), Tb number (TbN), and bone surface/bone volume (BS/BV). The degree of anisotropy (DA), the connectivity by the Euler number and the degree of mineralization (DM) were equally assessed. RESULTS: BV/TV and morphological parameters showed significant differences between OAc- and OP samples (P<0.01 except TbTh: P<0.05) and between OAc- and OAc+ (0.05相似文献   

伊班膦酸钠对大鼠膝骨关节炎关节软骨及软骨下骨的影响

目的观察伊班膦酸钠对大鼠膝骨关节炎关节软骨及软骨下骨的影响,并从MAPKs信号通路探讨其作用机制。方法将30只3月龄SD雄性大鼠随机分成3组(每组10只)。假手术组、前交叉韧带切断术组(ACLT组)、前交叉韧带切断术+伊班膦酸钠治疗组(治疗组)。其中ACLT组及治疗组均行ACLT术(膝关节前交叉韧带切断术)处理。术后1w,治疗组予以腹腔注射伊班膦酸钠10μg/kg,1 w 1次,共12 w;ACLT组腹腔注射生理盐水,剂量参照伊班膦酸钠,1w 1次,共12 w。12 w后处死动物,对关节软骨行Mankin评分、软骨下骨显微CT及骨组织定量分析、以及对MAPKs信号通路和MMP-13 mRNA表达水平进行分析。结果 1ACLT组的骨体积分数(BV/TV)、骨小梁数量(Tb.N)显著低于假手术组(P0.05、P0.05),骨小梁厚度(Tb.Th)两组之间差异无明显统计学意义、而骨小梁间隔(Tb.Sp)显著高于假手术组(P0.01);治疗组骨体积分数(BV/TV)、骨小梁数量(Tb.N)明显高于ACLT组(P0.05、P0.05),骨小梁厚度(Tb.Th)两组之间差异无明显统计学意义,而骨小梁间隔(Tb.Sp)显著低于ACLT组(P0.05)。2ACLT组的Mankin评分明显高于假手术组(P0.01);治疗组的Mankin评分明显低于ACLT组(P0.05)。3ACLT组中MAPKs信号通路(C-JUN、ERK1及P38)和MMP-13水平明显高于假手术组(P0.01、P0.01、P0.01、P0.01);治疗组的MAPKs信号通路(C-JUN、ERK1及P38)和MMP-13水平明显低于ACLT组(P0.01、P0.01、P0.01、P0.01)。结论伊班膦酸钠可能通过调控MAPKs信号通路的机制缓解大鼠膝骨关节炎关节软骨退变,并且抑制软骨下骨的骨质疏松。     

Alterations in mineral composition observed in osteoarthritic joints of cynomolgus monkeys

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disease that affects more than 40 million Americans and is characterized by degeneration of the articular cartilage and thickening of the underlying subchondral bone. Although subchondral bone thickening has been implicated in articular cartilage degeneration, very little is known about the composition of subchondral bone in OA. In the present study, infrared microspectroscopy (IRMS) was used to determine the chemical composition of the calcified cartilage-subchondral bone plate in a monkey model of OA. Specifically, the levels of mineralization (mineral/protein ratio), carbonate accumulation (carbonate/protein ratio), crystallinity, and collagen structure were determined as a function of animal age and OA severity. OA severity was assessed using a grading scheme that included scores or measurements for several histomorphometric parameters including articular cartilage fibrillation or clefting, subchondral bone thickness, and numbers of tidemarks and chondrocyte clones. Individual scores and measurements were summarized using principal components (factor) analysis. Results demonstrated that the level of mineralization and carbonate content increased as a function of animal age. In addition, bone mineralization level increased as subchondral bone thickness increased. Dramatic increases in the mineralization level and carbonate accumulation were also observed as a function of the number of tidemarks. The presence of multiple tidemarks indicates the occurrence of one or more additional phases of cartilage calcification, suggesting that the observed compositional changes are due to cartilage mineralization. Our results support a reactivation of endochondral ossification that occurs with age, which is more pronounced in OA. No relationships were observed between mineral crystallinity and collagen cross-linking as a function of age or OA severity. In summary, compositional analysis of the mineralized plate beneath the articular cartilage in OA is characterized by thickened, overmineralized calcified cartilage or subchondral bone, which likely puts added mechanical stress on the joint, contributing to the progression of OA.     

Articular Cartilage Degradation and Aberrant Subchondral Bone Remodeling in Patients with Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis

Osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis (OP) are two skeletal disorders associated with joint structures. Occasionally, OA and OP occur in the same patient. However, the effect of OP changes on OA progression in patients with osteoporotic OA (OP-OA) has not been reported, especially the potential association between subchondral bone and articular cartilage. Thus we investigated the alterations in the microstructure, biomechanical properties, and remodeling of subchondral bone as well as their association with cartilage damage in the hip joint of patients with OP-OA. Thirty-nine femoral head specimens were obtained from patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (OA group, n = 19; OP-OA group, n = 20), and healthy specimens from cadaver donors were used (control group, n = 10). The microstructure and biomechanical properties of subchondral bone were evaluated by micro–computed tomography and micro–finite-element analysis. Histology, histomorphometric measurements, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess subchondral bone remodeling and cartilage damage. Linear regression analysis was performed to elucidate the relationship between subchondral bone and articular cartilage. In the subchondral bone of the OP-OA group, compared with that of the OA group, aberrant bone remodeling leads to an inferior microstructure and worsening biomechanical properties, potentially affecting transmission of loading stress from the cartilage to the subchondral bone, and then resulting in accelerated OA progression in patients with OP-OA. The results indicate that changes in subchondral bone could affect OA development and the improvement in subchondral bone with bone-metabolism agents may help mitigate OA progression when OP and OA coexist in the same patients. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.     

Similarities and discrepancies in subchondral bone structure in two differently induced canine models of osteoarthritis

In osteoarthritis (OA), cartilage degradation is accompanied by subchondral bone changes. The pathogenesis and physiology of bone changes in OA are still unclear. The changes in subchondral bone architecture and cartilage damage were compared in differently induced experimental models of OA. Experimental OA was induced bilaterally by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) or by cartilage trauma (Groove model); bilateral sham surgery served as control. Lysylpyridinoline (LP, bone resorption) and C‐telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX‐II, cartilage breakdown) were measured over time. At 20 weeks after surgery, the subchondral cortical plate and trabecular bone of the tibia were analyzed by micro–computed tomography (µCT) and cartilage degeneration was analyzed histologically and biochemically. In both models, cartilage degeneration and cortical subchondral plate thinning were present. CTX‐II levels were elevated over time in both models. Subchondral trabecular bone changes were observed only in the ACLT model, not in the Groove model. Correspondingly, LP levels were elevated over time in the ACLT model and not in the Groove model. Interestingly, the trabecular bone changes in the ACLT model were extended to the metaphyseal area. The early decrease in plate thickness, present in both models, as was cartilage damage, suggests that plate thinning is a phenomenon that is intrinsic to the process of OA independent of the cause/induction of OA. On the other hand, trabecular changes in subchondral and metaphyseal bone are not part of a common pathway of OA development and may be induced biomechanically in the destabilized and less loaded ACLT joint. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research     

Association between subchondral bone structure and osteoarthritis histopathological grade

Despite increasing evidence that subchondral bone contributes to osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis, little is known about local changes in bone structure compared to cartilage degeneration. This study linked structural adaptation of subchondral bone with histological OA grade. Twenty‐five osteochondral samples of macroscopically different degeneration were prepared from tibiae of 14 patients. Samples were scanned with micro‐computed tomography (μCT) and both conventional structural parameters and novel 3D parameters based on local patterns were analyzed from the subchondral plate and trabecular bone. Subsequently, samples were processed for histology and evaluated for OARSI grade. Each bone parameter and OARSI grade was compared to assess structural adaptation of bone with OA severity. In addition, thicknesses of cartilage, calcified cartilage, and subchondral plate were analyzed from histological sections and compared with subchondral bone plate thickness from μCT. With increasing OARSI grade, the subchondral plate became thicker along with decreased specific bone surface, while there was no change in tissue mineral density. Histological analysis showed that subchondral plate thickness from μCT also includes calcified cartilage. Entropy of local patterns increased with OA severity, reflecting higher tissue heterogeneity. In the trabecular compartment, bone volume fraction and both trabecular thickness and number increased with OARSI grade while trabecular separation and structure model index decreased. Also, elevation of local patterns became longitudinal in the subchondral plate and axial transverse in trabecular bone with increasing OARSI grade. This study demonstrates the possibility of radiological assessment of OA severity by structural analysis of bone. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:785–792, 2017.

     

Characterization of articular cartilage and subchondral bone changes in the rat anterior cruciate ligament transection and meniscectomized models of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease characterized by cartilage destruction, subchondral bone sclerosis, and osteophyte formation. Subchondral bone stiffness has been proposed to initiate and/or contribute to cartilage deterioration in OA. The purpose of this study was to characterize subchondral bone remodeling, cartilage damage, and osteophytosis during the disease progression in two models of surgically induced OA. Rat knee joints were subjected either to anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) alone or in combination with resection of medial menisci (ACLT + MMx). Histopathological changes in the surgical joints were compared with sham at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 weeks post-surgery. Using a modified Mankin scoring system, we demonstrate that articular cartilage damage occurs within 2 weeks post-surgery in both surgical models. Detectable cartilage surface damage and proteoglycan loss were observed as early as 1 week post-surgery. These were followed by the increases in vascular invasion into cartilage, in loss of chondrocyte number and in cell clustering. Histomorphometric analysis revealed subchondral bone loss in both models within 2 weeks post-surgery followed by significant increases in subchondral bone volume relative to sham up to 10 weeks post-surgery. Incidence of osteophyte formation was optimally observed in ACLT joints at 10 weeks and in ACLT + MMx joints at 6 weeks post-surgery. In summary, the two surgically induced rat OA models share many characteristics seen in human and other animal models of OA, including progressive articular cartilage degradation, subchondral bone sclerosis, and osteophyte formation. Moreover, increased subchondral bone resorption is associated with early development of cartilage lesions, which precedes significant cartilage thinning and subchondral bone sclerosis. Together, these findings support a role for bone remodeling in OA pathogenesis and suggest that these rat models are suitable for evaluating bone resorption inhibitors as potential disease-modifying pharmaco-therapies.     

Changes in mean trabecular orientation in the medial condyle of the proximal tibia in osteoarthritis

In osteoarthritis of the knee, degenerative changes occur in the articular cartilage and underlying subchondral bone, particularly of the medial tibial condyle. Cancellous bone sclerosis that accompanies osteoarthritis is not only the result of an increase in bone volume fraction but also a change in trabecular structure. In a comparison with agematched controls (n=4), osteoarthritis (n=11) demonstrated a significant (P0.05) increase in bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness. Overal trabecular orientation in the osteoarthritic group was more vertical or perpendicular to the articular surface than the control group (P0.05) especially in the trabeculae of the cancellous bone layer closest to the articular surface. These alterations in trabecular bone structure could have significant consequences for the mechanical properties of osteoarthritic bone.     

Subchondral bone of the human knee joint in aging and osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: Although most research investigating the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) has focused on cartilage, it has been suggested that the subchondral bone (SCB) plays an important role in the development of OA. The relationships between aging, severity of OA change and the SCB thickness and density in the human knee joint specimens from a wide range of ages were examined. METHODS: One hundred forty knee joints from 72 individuals (25 females, 45 males and 2 unknowns; average age 54.8 years, range 17 to 91 years) were obtained. The surface of the articular cartilage of both the femur and tibia was evaluated for gross morphological changes with a 4-point grading scale. The lateral and medial femoral condyles were cut along a sagittal plane and the tibia along a coronal plane to make bone and cartilage strip specimens. The strips were X-rayed onto mammography film and then scanned into a computer for assessment of SCB thickness and density using image analysis software. RESULTS: Medial tibial SCB thickness was significantly lower among the elderly (age>69 years) than among the young (age<40) or the middle-aged (40 to 69) (P< 0.001 via ANOVA). Lateral tibial SCB thickness also showed the same trend of decreasing thickness with increasing age, but differences between age groups were not statistically significant. Tibial SCB thicknesses were significantly lower in arthritic grades compared to normal grades (P=0.008 in lateral and 0.017 in medial via ANOVA); in contrast, no significant differences between normal and arthritic were found in femoral SCB thicknesses. The arthritic group tended to have lower SCB densities than the normal group, but this was statistically significant in only the lateral femoral condyle. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in the present study are not consistent with generally accepted notions of the relationship between subchondral bone thickness or density and OA. Subchondral bone changes are not etiologic for OA but, more likely, are secondary to loss of articular cartilage which precedes the appearance of subchondral sclerosis.     

Subchondral bone fragility with meniscal tear accelerates and parathyroid hormone decelerates articular cartilage degeneration in rat osteoarthritis model

The aims of this study were to investigate the influence of subchondral bone fragility (SBF) on the progression of the knee osteoarthritis by using a novel rat model, and to examine the preventive effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on cartilage degeneration. First, 40 rats were assigned to the following four groups: Sham, SBF, Medial meniscal tear (MMT), and MMT + SBF groups. In SBF and MMT + SBF groups, we induced SBF by microdrilling the subchondral bone. Second, 10 additional rats were randomly assigned to the following two groups: MMT + SBF + saline and MMT + SBF + PTH groups. Osteoarthritic changes in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone were evaluated using safranin‐O/fast green staining, matrix metalloproteinase‐13 (MMP‐13), and type X collagen immunohistochemistry, toluidine blue staining, and micro‐CT scanning. The combination of SBF and meniscal tear increased the number of mast cells in the subchondral bone, and led to the abnormal subchondral bone microarchitecture, such as abnormally decreased trabecular number and increased trabecular thickness, compared with meniscal tear alone. Moreover, SBF with meniscal tear enhanced articular cartilage degeneration and increased the expression of MMP‐13 and type X collagen, compared with meniscal tear alone. The administration of PTH decreased the number of mast cells in the subchondral bone and improved the microstructural parameters of the subchondral bone, and delayed the progression of articular cartilage degeneration. These results suggest that SBF is one of the factors underlying the osteoarthritis development, especially in knees with traumatic osteoarthritis, and that the administration of PTH is a potential therapeutic treatment for preventing OA progression. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1959–1968, 2018.

     

骨性和软组织性髌骨脱位模型中滑车发育的实验研究

目的通过股骨截骨术增大股骨前倾角和髌骨内外侧软组织失平衡手术制作髌骨脱位模型,观察股骨滑车局部形态和骨小梁结构的变化。方法取40只3个月龄的新西兰幼兔,分别对其右膝进行两种手术方式(每组20只):①截骨组,接受股骨旋转截骨术,股骨远端内旋来增大股骨前倾角;②软组织组,行髌骨内侧支持带松解和外侧支持带紧缩缝合术。所有左膝作为正常对照组。术后观察4个月至骨骼成熟,将股骨远端进行Micro-CT扫描,测量滑车形态:外侧髁、滑车沟和内侧髁的高度,滑车沟角,滑车的外侧和内侧关节面倾斜角等,并对骨小梁进行分析:骨体积分数、骨小梁厚度、骨小梁数量、骨小梁分离度和骨密度等。相关指标的结果进行组间比较。结果截骨组中1例发生髋关节脱位,而髌骨未发生脱位;3例在屈膝状态下出现完全性的髌骨脱位;16膝在膝关节被动伸直时,髌骨发生脱位。软组织组中15膝在屈膝状态下出现完全性的髌骨脱位,5膝未发生髌骨脱位。截骨组的股骨滑车在滑车入口处伴有局部的突起形成,称为"骨突",而滑车关节面比较光滑,未出现明显的软骨破裂等,而软组织组的股骨滑车未见"骨突"形成,滑车关节面出现软骨破裂、缺损等关节炎表现。与对照组相比,截骨组和软组织组的滑车均变浅和变宽,滑车沟高度和滑车沟角变大,但两组比较没有统计学差异。与对照组相比,截骨组骨小梁发生汇聚,内侧髁和外侧髁的骨小梁厚度增大,内侧髁骨小梁数量减少,而软组织组表现为骨质疏松,内侧髁和外侧髁的骨体积分数、骨小梁厚度、骨小梁数量和骨密度都减少,骨小梁分离度增大。与软组织组相比,截骨组内侧髁和外侧髁的骨体积分数、骨小梁厚度、骨小梁数量和骨密度都较大,骨小梁分离度较小,差异有统计学意义。结论通过股骨截骨术增大股骨前倾角和髌骨内外侧软组织失平衡手术可成功构建髌骨脱位的骨性和软组织型模型,并继发形成不同的滑车形态学改变和骨小梁结构变化。     

Activated FGFR3 prevents subchondral bone sclerosis during the development of osteoarthritis in transgenic mice with achondroplasia

The purpose of this study is to investigate the morphometric changes of the subchondral bone during the development of osteoarthritis (OA) in transgenic mice with achondroplasia (Fgfr3^ach) carrying a heterozygous gain‐of‐function mutation in Fgfr3. Two OA models (spontaneously developed with age: The aging model, and surgically induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus: The DMM model) were established. Articular cartilage, epiphysis, and metaphysis of the knee joint were histologically and morphometrically compared between wild‐type mice, and Fgfr3^ach mice in both OA models. Articular cartilage degeneration was scored according to the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scoring system. Several morphometric parameters including bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular bone thickness (Tb.Th), and subchondral bone thickness in the medial tibial plateau (MTP) (Sb.Th med) were quantified by micro‐computed tomography (CT). In the aging model, although there were no significant differences in the OARSI score between wild‐type mice and Fgfr3^ach mice, Sb.Th med and Tb.Th in the epiphysis significantly increased in wild‐type mice. In the DMM model, the OARSI score of the medial compartment was significantly lower in Fgfr3^ach mice than in wild‐type mice. BMD, BV/TV, and Tb.Th in the epiphysis increased in wild‐type mice and unchanged in Fgfr3^ach mice, and the Sb.Th med was significantly larger in wild‐type mice after surgery. Subchondral sclerosis, which preceded the cartilage degeneration, was inhibited in Fgfr3^ach mice. Activated FGFR3 signaling prevented sclerotic changes of the subchondral bone and subsequent cartilage degeneration. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:300–308, 2018.     

Effects of hyaluronan on three-dimensional microarchitecture of subchondral bone tissues in guinea pig primary osteoarthrosis

Hyaluronan (HA) has received increasing interest as a potential agent in therapeutic intervention in osteoarthrosis (OA). HA has been shown to reduce arthritic lesions in experimental animal models of articular cartilage injury. This study was to investigate the effects of high molecular weight HA intra-articular injection on subchondral bone tissues. Fifty-six male guinea pigs were randomly divided into 5 groups. During the initial 2.5-month period, three groups received intra-articular injection of HA 0.4 mg/kg/week for 5 weeks in both knee joints. Two control groups received vehicle. After 2.5 months, one HA group and one control group were sacrificed. The remaining 3 groups (5.5-month groups) were left for an additional 3 months before sacrifice during which time one HA group received additional 5 weeks injections, one HA group received no more injections, and the control group received vehicle. The left tibiae were harvested and micro-CT scanned to quantify three-dimensional microarchitecture of subchondral bone plate, cancellous bone and cortical bone, followed by mechanical testing and collagen and mineral determinations. All HA-treated groups had almost normal cartilage, whereas the control groups had typical OA-related cartilage degradation. In the 2.5-month group, HA resulted in significantly decreased subchondral plate volume fraction and thickness and HA-treated cancellous bone had significantly lower bone volume fraction, and typical rod-like structure. After 5.5 months, these changes were more pronounced, with an additional marked decrease in connectivity and bone surface density. HA-treated cortical bone had significantly greater volume fraction at both observation times. HA groups had greater bone mineral concentration and reduced collagen to mineral ratio with similar mechanical properties of cancellous bone but less stiff cortical bone. The effects of HA on cartilage and subchondral bone were maintained when treatment was discontinued. In summary, HA effectively protects against cartilage degeneration, decreases subchondral bone density and thickness, changes trabecular structure toward rod-like, so that subchondral bone becomes more compliant and thereby reduces cartilage stress during impact loading. HA preserved cancellous bone mechanical properties by increasing bone mineralization. Early HA administration is effective for intervention of OA initiation and progression, and short-term early HA treatment is sufficient to maintain treatment effects.     

Mechanical behavior of the subchondral bone in the experimentally induced osteoarthritis]

In order to evaluate the role of the subchondral bone (cancellous bone) in the development and progression of the joint degeneration, osteoarthritis of the knee joint was produced experimentally in the rabbits and viscoelasticity and strength of the subchondral bone from the femoral medial condyle have been investigated along with the pathological, histological study of the joint. The viscoelastic spectrometer and the Instron type testing machine were used. As the first change after operation, osteophyte formation around the joint margin has been observed before the initiation of the degeneration of articular cartilage and there is a possibility that mechanical properties of subchondral bone such as high deformability and low elasticity to the mechanism of osteophyte formation. Subchondral bone softening with marked increase of ultimate strain and phase lag, marked decrease of compressive elastic modulus and ultimate stress precedes or occurs concurrently with the degeneration of the articular cartilage. These facts indicate the relationship between the mechanical properties of the subchondral bone and joint degeneration. Once the joint degeneration starts, degeneration continues progressively while the subchondral bone tends to become brittle. These changes may be considered as a kind of functional adaptation to the damage or denudation of articular cartilage. It is postulated that some architectural changes of the subchondral bone may provide alterations of the mechanical properties. Biomechanical roles of the subchondral bone is suggested as one of the factors in the joint degeneration.     

Effect of calcitonin in early and late stages of experimentally induced osteoarthritis. A histomorphometric study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate both prophylactic and therapeutic roles of salmon calcitonin on the articular cartilage of rabbit's knees. METHODS: Right knee instability was produced in 30 New Zealand white rabbits by sectioning the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). Animals were separated into four groups: placebo prophylactic-stage group (n=6), killed 8 weeks post surgery, calcitonin prophylactic-stage group (n=6), treated immediately after surgery with salmon calcitonin and killed at 8 weeks, placebo therapeutic-stage group (n=9) killed at 16 weeks post surgery and calcitonin therapeutic-stage group (n=9), treated with salmon calcitonin from 8th to 16th week and killed at 16 weeks post surgery. A histomorphometric study was based on the morphological changes of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone (degeneration indexes), as well as the articular cartilage thickness, chondrocytes' arrangement and their metabolic activity (regeneration indexes). RESULTS: Calcitonin groups showed smoother articular surface, no or minimal signs of ulceration, smaller osteophytes, and less subchondral cystic formation than placebo groups. Normal distribution of chondrocytes or hypercellularity was noticed in areas of mild osteoarthritic (OA) changes in the calcitonin groups indicating regeneration activity. Periodic Acid Schiff's and Alcian blue staining were negative in the placebo groups while increased absorption in the calcitonin groups revealed high anabolic activity. CONCLUSIONS: In prophylactic stages salmon calcitonin seemed to inhibit the progression of osteoarthritis by increasing the layers of hyaline cartilage, restoring the cellular metabolism, and decreasing the volume of osteophytes. In therapeutic stages, the hormone had a healing effect by decreasing the subchondral cysts, regenerating the hyaline cartilage and restoring cellular metabolism. Both macroscopic and histological findings of this study supported the biochemical results of previous studies showing the therapeutic effect of calcitonin on osteoarthritis.     

Subchondral and trabecular bone remodeling in canine experimental osteoarthritis

Introduction: We wanted to test the hypothesis that quality changes occur in early-stage arthritic subchondral cancellous bone after acute subchondral damage. So far, not much attention has been paid to changes of the subchondral bone after traumatic subchondral lesions. Materials and methods: With an established animal model, we produced pure subchondral damage without initial affection of the articular cartilage in 12 Beagle dogs under MRI and histological control. We utilized bone histomorphometry to evaluate bone turnover, its structure and the articular cartilage 6 months after the initial damage. Results: On follow-up, bone remodelling was indicated, e.g. by a significant increase in the trabecular bone volume and thickness, osteoblast number and osteoid surface and a decrease in the trabecular number in all 12 samples. Several other parameters showed a tendency, e.g. osteoblast surface and osteoclast number. Cartilage analysis showed degenerative changes in ten of 12 samples that had not shown any evidence of damage during the initial examination. Discussion: Our investigation indicates a significant deterioration in the architecture of the cancellous bone with degenerative changes of the overlying articular cartilage after subchondral lesions, which change the mechanical properties.