Epidural fat mesenchymal stem cells: Important microenvironmental regulators in health, disease, and regeneration: Do EF-MSCs play a role in dural homeostasis/maintenance?

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are present in fat tissues throughout the body, yet little is known regarding their biological role within epidural fat. We hypothesize that debridement of epidural fat and/or subsequent loss of MSCs within this tissue, disrupts homeostasis in the vertebral environment resulting in increased inflammation, fibrosis, and decreased neovascularization leading to poorer functional outcomes post-injury/operatively. Clinically, epidural fat is commonly considered a space-filling tissue with limited functionality and therefore typically discarded during surgery. However, the presence of MSCs within epidural fat suggests that itis more biologically active than historically believed and may contribute to the regulation of homeostasis and regeneration in the dural environment. While the current literature supports our hypothesis, it will require additional experimentation to determine if epidural fat is an endogenous driver of repair and regeneration and if so, this tissue should be minimally perturbed from its original location in the spinal canal. Also see the video abstract here https://youtu.be/MIol_IWK1os.

Proteoglycan 4 is present within the dura mater and produced by mesenchymal progenitor cells.

Mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) have been recently identified in human and murine epidural fat and have been hypothesized to contribute to the maintenance/repair/regeneration of the dura mater. MPCs can secrete proteoglycan 4 (PRG4/lubricin), and this protein can regulate tissue homeostasis through bio-lubrication and immunomodulatory functions. MPC lineage tracing reporter mice (Hic1) and human epidural fat MPCs were used to determine if PRG4 is expressed by these cells in vivo. PRG4 expression co-localized with Hic1+ MPCs in the dura throughout skeletal maturity and was localized adjacent to sites of dural injury. When Hic1+ MPCs were ablated, PRG4 expression was retained in the dura, yet when Prx1+ MPCs were ablated, PRG4 expression was completely lost. A number of cellular processes were impacted in human epidural fat MPCs treated with rhPRG4, and human MPCs contributed to the formation of epidural fat, and dura tissues were xenotransplanted into mouse dural injuries. We have shown that human and mouse MPCs in the epidural/dura microenvironment produce PRG4 and can contribute to dura homeostasis/repair/regeneration. Overall, these results suggest that these MPCs have biological significance within the dural microenvironment and that the role of PRG4 needs to be further elucidated.

Tendon Innervation.

The regulation of tendon metabolism including the responses to loading is far from being well understood. During the last decade, however, accumulating data show that tendon innervation in addition to afferent functions, via efferent pathways has a regulatory role in tendon homeostasis via a wide range of neuromediators, which coordinate metabolic and neuro-inflammatory pathways.Innervation of intact healthy tendons is localized in the surrounding structures, i.e paratenon, endotenon and epitenon, whereas the tendon proper is practically devoid of neuronal supply. This anatomical finding reflects that the tendon metabolism is regulated from the tendon envelope, i.e. interfascicular matrix (see Chap. 1 ).Tendon innervation after injury and during repair, however, is found as extensive nerve ingrowth into the tendon proper, followed by a time-dependent emergence of different neuronal mediators, which amplify and fine-tune inflammatory and metabolic pathways in tendon regeneration. After healing nerve fibers retract to the tendon envelope.In tendinopathy innervation has been identified to consist of excessive and protracted nerve ingrowth in the tendon proper, suggesting pro-inflammatory, nociceptive and hypertrophic (degenerative) tissue responses.In metabolic disorders such as eg. diabetes impaired tendon healing has been established to be related to dysregulation of neuronal growth factors.Targeted approaches to the peripheral nervous system including neuronal mediators and their receptors may prove to be effective therapies for painful, degenerative and traumatic tendon disorders.

Expressional changes in growth and inflammatory mediators during Achilles tendon repair in diabetic rats: new insights into a possible basis for compromised healing.

Dysregulation of growth and inflammatory mediators might contribute to defective tissue homeostasis and healing, as commonly observed in sedentary lifestyles and in conditions such as diabetes mellitus type-2. The present study aims to assess expression changes in growth and inflammatory mediators in the intact and healing Achilles tendon of type-2 diabetic rats. The study utilized 11 male diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) and 10 age- and sex-matched Wistar control rats. The right Achilles tendon was transected in all animals, whereas the left Achilles tendon remained intact. At 2 weeks post-injury, intact and injured tendons were assessed for gene expression for VEGF, Tß-4, TGF-ß1, IGF-1, COX-2, iNOS, HIF-1α, and IL-1ß by quantitative reverse transcription plus the polymerase chain reaction, and their protein distribution was studied by immunolocalization. In injured tendons of diabetic GK rats, VEGF and Tß-4 mRNA and corresponding protein levels were significantly down-regulated compared with those of injured Wistar controls. Compared with intact tendons of diabetic GK rats, TGF-ß1, IGF-1, and COX-2 RNA levels were higher, whereas iNOS mRNA levels were lower in injured tendons of diabetic GK rats. Within Wistar controls, healing at 2 weeks post-injury led to significantly down-regulated VEGF and iNOS mRNA levels in injured tendons, whereas TGF-ß1 and HIF-1α mRNA levels increased compared with intact tendons. Thus, dysregulation of inflammatory and growth mediators occurs in type-2 diabetes injured tendons. Our data suggest that therapeutic modulation of Tß-4 and VEGF represent a new regenerative approach in operated, injured, or degenerative tendon diseases in diabetes.

Derivation of a clinical decision guide in the diagnosis of cervical facet joint pain.

OBJECTIVE: To derive a clinical decision guide (CDG) to identify patients best suited for cervical diagnostic facet joint blocks. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Pain management center. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with neck pain (N=125) referred to an interventional pain management center were approached to participate. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects underwent a standardized testing protocol, performed by a physiotherapist, prior to receiving diagnostic facet joint blocks. All subjects received the reference standard diagnostic facet joint block protocol, namely controlled medial branch blocks (MBBs). The physicians performing the MBBs were blinded to the local anesthetic used and findings of the clinical tests. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Multivariate regression analyses were performed in the derivation of the CDGs. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the index tests and CDGs. RESULTS: A CDG involving the findings of the manual spinal examination (MSE), palpation for segmental tenderness (PST), and extension-rotation (ER) test demonstrated a specificity of 84% (95% CI, 77-90) and a positive likelihood ratio of 4.94 (95% CI, 2.8-8.2). Sensitivity of the PST and MSE were 94% (95% CI, 90-98) and 92% (95% CI, 88-97), respectively. Negative findings on the PST were associated with a negative likelihood ratio of .08 (95% CI, .03-.24). CONCLUSIONS: MSE, PST, and ER may be useful tests in identifying patients suitable for diagnostic facet joint blocks. Further research is needed to validate the CDGs prior to their routine use in clinical practice.

Collagen integrity of the annulus fibrosus in degenerative disc disease individuals quantified with collagen hybridizing peptide.

Introduction: Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is accompanied by structural changes in the intervertebral discs (IVD). Extra-cellular matrix degradation of the annulus fibrosus (AF) has been linked with degeneration of the IVD. Collagen is a vital component of the IVD. Collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP) is an engineered protein that binds to degraded collagen, which we used to quantify collagen damage in AF. This method was used to compare AF samples obtained from donors with no DDD to AF samples from patients undergoing surgery for symptomatic DDD. Methods: Fresh AF tissue was embedded in an optimal cutting temperature compound and cryosectioned at a thickness of 8 µm. Hematoxylin and Eosin staining was performed on sections for general histomorphological assessment. Serial sections were stained with Cy3-conjugated CHP and the mean fluorescence intensity and areal fraction of Cy3-positive staining were averaged for three regions of interest (ROI) on each CHP-stained section. Results: Increases in mean fluorescence intensity (p = 0.0004) and percentage of positively stained area (p = 0.00008) with CHP were detected in DDD samples compared to the non-DDD samples. Significant correlations were observed between mean fluorescence intensity and percentage of positively stained area for both non-DDD (R = 0.98, p = 5E-8) and DDD (R = 0.79, p = 0.0012) samples. No significant differences were detected between sex and the lumbar disc level subgroups of the non-DDD and DDD groups. Only tissue pathology (non-DDD versus DDD) influenced the measured parameters. No three-way interactions between tissue pathology, sex, and lumbar disc level were observed. Discussion and Conclusions: These findings suggest that AF collagen degradation is greater in DDD samples compared to non-DDD samples, as evidenced by the increased CHP staining. Strong positive correlations between the two measured parameters suggest that when collagen degradation occurs, it is detected by this technique and is widespread throughout the tissue. This study provides new insights into the structural alterations associated with collagen degradation in the AF that occur during DDD.

Focal compression of the cervical spinal cord alone does not indicate high risk of neurological deterioration in patients with a diagnosis of mild degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is the functional derangement of the spinal cord resulting from vertebral column spondylotic degeneration. Typical neurological symptoms of DCM include gait imbalance, hand/arm numbness, and upper extremity dexterity loss. Greater spinal cord compression is believed to lead to a higher rate of neurological deterioration, although clinical experience suggests a more complex mechanism involving spinal canal diameter (SCD). In this study, we utilized machine learning clustering to understand the relationship between SCD and different patterns of cord compression (i.e. compression at one disc level, two disc levels, etc.) to identify patient groups at risk of neurological deterioration. 124 MRI scans from 51 non-operative DCM patients were assessed through manual scoring of cord compression and SCD measurements. Dimensionality reduction techniques and k-means clustering established patient groups that were then defined with their unique risk criteria. We found that the compression pattern is unimportant at SCD extremes (≤14.5 mm or > 15.75 mm). Otherwise, severe spinal cord compression at two disc levels increases deterioration likelihood. Notably, if SCD is normal and cord compression is not severe at multiple levels, deterioration likelihood is relatively reduced, even if the spinal cord is experiencing compression. We elucidated five patient groups with their associated risks of deterioration, according to both SCD range and cord compression pattern. Overall, SCD and focal cord compression alone do not reliably predict an increased risk of neurological deterioration. Instead, the specific combination of narrow SCD with multi-level focal cord compression increases the likelihood of neurological deterioration in mild DCM patients.

Advanced MRI metrics improve the prediction of baseline disease severity for individuals with degenerative cervical myelopathy.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the most common form of atraumatic spinal cord injury globally. Degeneration of spinal discs, bony osteophyte growth and ligament pathology results in physical compression of the spinal cord contributing to damage of white matter tracts and grey matter cellular populations. This results in an insidious neurological and functional decline in patients which can lead to paralysis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirms the diagnosis of DCM and is a prerequisite to surgical intervention, the only known treatment for this disorder. Unfortunately, there is a weak correlation between features of current commonly acquired MRI scans ("community MRI, cMRI") and the degree of disability experienced by a patient. PURPOSE: This study examines the predictive ability of current MRI sequences relative to "advanced MRI" (aMRI) metrics designed to detect evidence of spinal cord injury secondary to degenerative myelopathy. We hypothesize that the utilization of higher fidelity aMRI scans will increase the effectiveness of machine learning models predicting DCM severity and may ultimately lead to a more efficient protocol for identifying patients in need of surgical intervention. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Single institution analysis of imaging registry of patients with DCM. PATIENT SAMPLE: A total of 296 patients in the cMRI group and 228 patients in the aMRI group. OUTCOME MEASURES: Physiologic measures: accuracy of machine learning algorithms to detect severity of DCM assessed clinically based on the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scale. METHODS: Patients enrolled in the Canadian Spine Outcomes Research Network registry with DCM were screened and 296 cervical spine MRIs acquired in cMRI were compared with 228 aMRI acquisitions. aMRI acquisitions consisted of diffusion tensor imaging, magnetization transfer, T2-weighted, and T2*-weighted images. The cMRI group consisted of only T2-weighted MRI scans. Various machine learning models were applied to both MRI groups to assess accuracy of prediction of baseline disease severity assessed clinically using the mJOA scale for cervical myelopathy. RESULTS: Through the utilization of Random Forest Classifiers, disease severity was predicted with 41.8% accuracy in cMRI scans and 73.3% in the aMRI scans. Across different predictive model variations tested, the aMRI scans consistently produced higher prediction accuracies compared to the cMRI counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: aMRI metrics perform better in machine learning models at predicting disease severity of patients with DCM. Continued work is needed to refine these models and address DCM severity class imbalance concerns, ultimately improving model confidence for clinical implementation.

Intrarater and interrater reliability of select clinical tests in patients referred for diagnostic facet joint blocks in the cervical spine.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the intra- and interrater reliability of select standardized clinical tests used for the assessment of patients with axial neck pain referred for diagnostic facet joint blocks. DESIGN: Single-group, repeated-measures study. SETTING: Tertiary interventional pain management center. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with persistent neck pain, referred to a tertiary interventional pain management center, were approached to participate. Fifty-six patients consented to participate in the study. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects underwent a standardized clinical testing protocol, performed by 2 physiotherapists, before receiving diagnostic facet joint blocks. Subjects were examined twice by 1 assessor for the determination of the intrarater reliability of the testing protocol, and again by a second assessor for determination of interrater reliability. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), kappa coefficients, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the intra- and interrater reliability for cervical range of motion (ROM; 6 directions), extension-rotation (ER) test, manual spinal examination (MSE), and palpation for paraspinal tenderness (PST) from C2 through C7. RESULTS: For intrarater reliability, kappa coefficients ranged from .51 to .88 for the ER test, MSE, and PST, and ICCs ranged from .91 to .97 for ROM. For interrater reliability, kappa coefficients ranged from .74 to .96 for the ER test, MSE, and PST, and ICCs ranged from .90 to .95 for ROM. CONCLUSIONS: The standardized clinical tests exhibited moderate to substantial reliability in patients with axial neck pain referred for diagnostic facet joint blocks. The data justify the incorporation of these tests into a clinical prediction model to screen patients before referral for diagnostic facet blocks.

Posttraumatic elbow contractures: targeting neuroinflammatory fibrogenic mechanisms.

Posttraumatic elbow stiffness remains a common and challenging clinical problem. In the setting of a congruent articular surface, the joint capsule is regarded as the major motion-limiting anatomic structure. The affected joint capsule is characterized by irreversible biomechanical and biochemical fibrogenic changes strikingly similar to those observed in many other fibroproliferative human conditions. Studies in humans and preclinical animal models are providing emergent evidence that neuroinflammatory mechanisms are critical upstream events in the pathogenesis of posttraumatic connective tissue fibrogenesis. Maladaptive recruitment and activation of mast cell infiltrates coupled with the aberrant expression of growth factors such as transforming growth factor-beta, nerve growth factor, and neuropeptides such as substance P are common observations in posttraumatic joint contractures and many other fibroproliferative disorders. Blockade of these factors is providing promising evidence that if treatment is timed correctly, the fibrogenic process can be interrupted or impeded. This review serves to highlight opportunities derived from these recent discoveries across many aberrant fibrogenic disorders as we strive to develop novel, targeted antifibrotic prevention and treatment strategies for posttraumatic elbow stiffness.

Tryptase ß regulation of joint lubrication and inflammation via proteoglycan-4 in osteoarthritis.

PRG4 is an extracellular matrix protein that maintains homeostasis through its boundary lubricating and anti-inflammatory properties. Altered expression and function of PRG4 have been associated with joint inflammatory diseases, including osteoarthritis. Here we show that mast cell tryptase ß cleaves PRG4 in a dose- and time-dependent manner, which was confirmed by silver stain gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Tryptase-treated PRG4 results in a reduction of lubrication. Compared to full-length, cleaved PRG4 further activates NF-κB expression in cells overexpressing TLR2, -4, and -5. In the destabilization of the medial meniscus model of osteoarthritis in rat, tryptase ß and PRG4 colocalize at the site of injury in knee cartilage and is associated with disease severity. When human primary synovial fibroblasts from male osteoarthritis patients or male healthy subjects treated with tryptase ß and/or PRG4 are subjected to a quantitative shotgun proteomics and proteome changes are characterized, it further supports the role of NF-κB activation. Here we show that tryptase ß as a modulator of joint lubrication in osteoarthritis via the cleavage of PRG4.

The mast cell stabilizer ketotifen reduces joint capsule fibrosis in a rabbit model of post-traumatic joint contractures.

OBJECTIVES: Using a rabbit model of post-traumatic joint contractures, we investigated whether treatment with a mast cell stabilizer after joint injury would lessen the molecular manifestations of joint capsule fibrosis. METHODS: Surgical joint injury was used to create stable post-traumatic contractures of the knee in skeletally mature New Zealand white rabbits. Four groups of animals were studied: a non-operated control group (n = 8), an operated contracture group (n = 13) and two operated groups treated with the mast cell stabilizer, ketotifen, at doses of 0.5 mg/kg (n = 9) and 1.0 mg/kg (n = 9) twice daily. Joint capsule fibrosis was assessed by quantifying the mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA, tryptase, TGF-ß1, collagen I and collagen III. Significance was tested using an ANOVA analysis of variance. RESULTS: The protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA, TGF-ß1, tryptase and collagen I and III were significantly elevated in the operated contracture group compared to control (p < 0.01). In both ketotifen-treated groups, protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA, TGF-ß1 and collagen I were significantly reduced compared to the operated contracture group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest an inflammatory pathway mediated by mast cell activation is involved in joint capsule fibrosis after traumatic injury.

Residual substance P levels after capsaicin treatment correlate with tendon repair.

The aim of the study was to assess healing after capsaicin-induced substance P (SP) depletion during rat Achilles tendon repair by biomechanical testing. Capsaicin treatment reduced the concentrations of SP by ∼60% and calcitonin gene-related peptide by ∼40% as compared with the control group, as assessed by radioimmunoassay in the dorsal root ganglia, at 1 and 4 weeks post-tendon rupture. Also, the peripheral neuronal presence of SP and calcitonin gene-related peptide, as assessed by immunohistochemistry, was lower at both weeks 1 and 4. The decreased peripheral neuronal presence of SP at week 1 correlated with the corresponding levels in the dorsal root ganglia (r = 0.54, p = 0.018). The reduced presence of SP/calcitonin gene-related peptide after capsaicin treatment was verified by a decreased sensitivity to painful mechanical and thermal stimuli (p < 0.05). Correlation analyses between individual residual SP levels and biomechanical tissue properties were performed because of differences in failure mode between the groups and high individual variations in the SP levels after capsaicin treatment. Thus, the residual SP levels in the dorsal root ganglia correlated with transverse area, ultimate tensile strength, and stress at failure (r = 0.39, p = 0.036; r = 0.53, p = 0.005; and r = 0.43, p = 0.023, respectively). Furthermore, individual pain sensitivity at week 2 correlated with peripheral occurrence of SP and was correlated with tensile strength and stress at failure (r = 0.89, p = 0.006 and r = 0.78, p = 0.015) at week 4. In conclusion, rats with higher residual SP levels after capsaicin-induced neuropathy develop improved tensile strength and stress at failure in the healing of Achilles tendon.

IL-1Ra deficiency accelerates intervertebral disc degeneration in C57BL6J mice.

The expression of Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and its antagonist and Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) are correlated with greater human intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, suggesting that elevated IL-1ß activity promotes disc degeneration. Many in vitro studies support such a mechanistic relationship, whereas few in vivo investigations have been reported. The present study tests the effect of increased IL-1ß activity on intervertebral disc in mice with an IL-1Ra gene deletion. IL-1Ra-/- mice and wild-type (WT) C57Bl6J mice were examined at 3 and 12 months of age. Caudal IVD segments were evaluated for disc degeneration by histopathology, functional testing, and inflammatory gene expression relevant to IL-1ß pathways. To test differences in injury response, pinprick annular puncture was performed on IL-1Ra-/- and WT mice and evaluated similarly. IL-1Ra-/- IVDs had significantly worse histopathology at 3 months compared to WT controls, but not at 12 months. IL-1Ra-/- IVDs exhibited significantly more viscous mechanical properties than WT IVDs. qPCR revealed downregulation of inflammatory genes at 3 and 12 months in IL-1Ra-/- IVDs, with concomitant downregulation of anabolic and catabolic genes. Annular puncture yielded no appreciable differences between 2-week and 6-week post-injured WT and IL1-Ra-/- IVDs in histopathology or biomechanics, but inflammatory gene expression was sharply downregulated in IL-1Ra-/- mice at 2 weeks, returning by 6 weeks post injury. In the present study, IL-1Ra deletion resulted in increased IVD histopathology, inferior biomechanics, and transiently decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression. The histopathology of IL-1Ra-/- IVDs on a C57BL/6J background is less severe than a previous report of IL1Ra-/- on a BALB/c background, yet both strains exhibit IVD degeneration, reinforcing a mechanistic role of IL-1ß signaling in IVD pathobiology. Despite a pro-inflammatory environment, the annular puncture was no worse in IL-1Ra-/- mice, suggesting that response to injury involves pathways other than inflammation. Overall, this study supports the hypothesis that IL-1ß-driven inflammation is important in IVD degeneration.

Prx1 + and Hic1+ Mesenchymal Progenitors Are Present Within the Epidural Fat and Dura Mater and Participate in Dural Injury Repair.

Epidural fat is commonly discarded during spine surgery to increase the operational field. However, mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) have now been identified in human epidural fat and within the murine dura mater. This led us to believe that epidural fat may regulate homeostasis and regeneration in the vertebral microenvironment. Using two MPC lineage tracing reporter mice (Prx1 and Hic1), not only have we found that epidural fat MPCs become incorporated in the dura mater over the course of normal skeletal maturation, but have also identified these cells as an endogenous source of repair and regeneration post-dural injury. Moreover, our results reveal a partial overlap between Prx1+ and Hic1+ populations, indicating a potential hierarchical relationship between the two MPC populations. This study effectively challenges the notion of epidural fat as an expendable tissue and mandates further research into its biological function and relevance.

Prx1+ MPCs Accumulate in the Dura Mater of Wild-Type and p21-/- Mice Followed by a Specific Reduction in p21-/- Dural MPCs.

Epidural fat contains a population of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs), and this study explores the behavior of these cells on the adjacent dura mater during growth and in response to injury in a p21 knockout mouse model. p21-/- mice are known to have increased cell proliferation and enhanced tissue regeneration post-injury. Therefore, it is hypothesized that the process by which epidural fat MPCs maintain the dura mater can be accelerated in p21-/- mice. Using a Prx1 lineage tracing mouse model, the epidural fat MPCs are found to increase in the dura mater over time in both C57BL/6 (p21+/+ ) and p21-/- mice; however, by 3 weeks post-tamoxifen induction, few MPCs are observed in p21-/- mice. These endogenous MPCs also localize to dural injuries in both mouse strains, with MPCs in p21-/- mice demonstrating increased proliferation. When epidural fat MPCs derived from p21-/- mice are transplanted into dural injuries in C57BL/6 mice, these MPCs are found in the injury site. It is demonstrated that epidural fat MPCs play a role in dural tissue maintenance and are able to directly contribute to dural injury repair. This suggests that these MPCs have the potential to treat injuries and/or pathologies in tissues surrounding the spinal cord.

Synovial mesenchymal progenitor derived aggrecan regulates cartilage homeostasis and endogenous repair capacity.

Aggrecan is a critical component of the extracellular matrix of all cartilages. One of the early hallmarks of osteoarthritis (OA) is the loss of aggrecan from articular cartilage followed by degeneration of the tissue. Mesenchymal progenitor cell (MPC) populations in joints, including those in the synovium, have been hypothesized to play a role in the maintenance and/or repair of cartilage, however, the mechanism by which this may occur is unknown. In the current study, we have uncovered that aggrecan is secreted by synovial MPCs from healthy joints yet accumulates inside synovial MPCs within OA joints. Using human synovial biopsies and a rat model of OA, we established that this observation in aggrecan metabolism also occurs in vivo. Moreover, the loss of the "anti-proteinase" molecule alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2M) inhibits aggrecan secretion in OA synovial MPCs, whereas overexpressing A2M rescues the normal secretion of aggrecan. Using mice models of OA and cartilage repair, we have demonstrated that intra-articular injection of aggrecan into OA joints inhibits cartilage degeneration and stimulates cartilage repair respectively. Furthermore, when synovial MPCs overexpressing aggrecan were transplanted into injured joints, increased cartilage regeneration was observed vs. wild-type MPCs or MPCs with diminished aggrecan expression. Overall, these results suggest that aggrecan secreted from joint-associated MPCs may play a role in tissue homeostasis and repair of synovial joints.

Proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) treatment enhances wound closure and tissue regeneration.

The wound healing response is one of most primitive and conserved physiological responses in the animal kingdom, as restoring tissue integrity/homeostasis can be the difference between life and death. Wound healing in mammals is mediated by immune cells and inflammatory signaling molecules that regulate tissue resident cells, including local progenitor cells, to mediate closure of the wound through formation of a scar. Proteoglycan 4 (PRG4), a protein found throughout the animal kingdom from fish to elephants, is best known as a glycoprotein that reduces friction between articulating surfaces (e.g. cartilage). Previously, PRG4 was also shown to regulate the inflammatory and fibrotic response. Based on this, we asked whether PRG4 plays a role in the wound healing response. Using an ear wound model, topical application of exogenous recombinant human (rh)PRG4 hastened wound closure and enhanced tissue regeneration. Our results also suggest that rhPRG4 may impact the fibrotic response, angiogenesis/blood flow to the injury site, macrophage inflammatory dynamics, recruitment of immune and increased proliferation of adult mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) and promoting chondrogenic differentiation of MPCs to form the auricular cartilage scaffold of the injured ear. These results suggest that PRG4 has the potential to suppress scar formation while enhancing connective tissue regeneration post-injury by modulating aspects of each wound healing stage (blood clotting, inflammation, tissue generation and tissue remodeling). Therefore, we propose that rhPRG4 may represent a potential therapy to mitigate scar and improve wound healing.

The Dose-Response Effect of the Mast Cell Stabilizer Ketotifen Fumarate on Posttraumatic Joint Contracture: An in Vivo Study in a Rabbit Model.

Posttraumatic joint contracture is a debilitating complication following an acute fracture or intra-articular injury that can lead to loss of motion and an inability to complete activities of daily living. In prior studies using an established in vivo model, we found that ketotifen fumarate (KF), a mast cell stabilizer, was associated with a significant reduction in the severity of posttraumatic joint contracture. Our primary research question in the current study was to determine whether a dose-response relationship exists between KF and posttraumatic joint contracture reduction. METHODS: A standardized operative method to create posttraumatic joint contracture in a knee was performed on skeletally mature New Zealand White rabbits. The animals were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups (n = 10 per group): a nonoperative control group, an operative control group, or 1 of 3 experimental KF groups (0.01 mg/kg [the KF 0.01 group], 0.1 mg/kg [KF 0.1], or 5.0 mg/kg [KF 5.0]). Flexion contractures were measured following 8 weeks of knee immobilization using a hydraulic material-testing machine. The posterior knee joint capsules were then harvested for quantification of myofibroblast and mast cell numbers with immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS: Forty-five rabbits were used in the final analysis. Contracture severity was significantly reduced in the KF 0.1 group (p = 0.016) and the KF 5.0 group (p = 0.001) compared with the operative control group. When converted to a percent response, posttraumatic joint contracture reduction was 13%, 45%, and 63% for the KF 0.01, KF 0.1, and KF 5.0 groups, respectively. A half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) for KF of 0.22 mg/kg was established. There was also a decrease in myofibroblasts, mast cells, and substance P-containing nerve fiber counts with increasing doses of KF. CONCLUSIONS: Using a preclinical, rabbit in vivo model of posttraumatic joint contracture, increasing doses of KF were associated with decreasing biomechanical estimates of knee posttraumatic joint contracture as well as decreasing numbers of myofibroblasts, mast cells, and substance P-containing nerve fibers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: KF has been used safely in humans for more than 40 years and, to our knowledge, is the first and only agent ready to be potentially translated into an effective treatment for posttraumatic joint contracture.

Effect of oral anticoagulants on hemostatic and thromboembolic complications in hip fracture: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture patients on oral anticoagulants (OACs) experience increased time-to-surgery and higher mortality compared to non-anticoagulated patients. However, it is unclear whether pre-injury OAC status and its associated operative delay are associated with worsening of peri-operative hemostasis or an increased risk of postoperative thromboembolism. METHODS: We performed a systematic review to identify studies that directly compared hemostatic and thromboembolic outcomes among hip fracture patients on an OAC prior to admission with those not on anticoagulants. Random effects meta-analyses were used to pool all outcomes of interest (estimated blood loss, transfusion requirements, and postoperative thromboembolism). RESULTS: Twenty-one studies involving 21 417 patients were included. Estimated blood loss was higher among patients presenting with OACs compared to those not anticoagulated (mean difference 31.0 mL, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2-55.7). Anticoagulated patients also had a 1.3-fold higher risk of receiving red blood cell transfusions (odds ratio [OR] 1.34, 95% CI 1.20-1.51); however, rates of postoperative thromboembolism were similar regardless of anticoagulation status (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.40-2.79 for venous thromboembolism; OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.25-1.36 for arterial thromboembolism). No subgroup effect was found based on anticoagulant type or degree of surgical delay. CONCLUSION: Hip fracture patients on OACs experience increased surgical blood loss and higher risk of red blood cell transfusions. However, the degree of surgical delay did not mitigate this risk, and there was no difference in postoperative thromboembolism. The impact of appropriate, timely OAC reversal on blood conservation and expedited surgery in anticoagulated hip fracture patients warrants urgent evaluation.