Characterization of Osteoarthritis in a Medial Meniscectomy-Induced Animal Model Using Contrast-Enhanced X-Ray Microtomography

Abstract

The aim of this study was to clarify degradation characteristics in each tissue of the knee complex of a medial meniscectomy (MMx)-induced knee osteoarthritis (KOA) animal model using classical methods and a new comprehensive evaluation method called contrast-enhanced X-ray micro-computed tomography (CEX-μCT), which was developed in the study. Surgical MMx was performed in the right knee joints of five male Wistar rats to induce KOA. At 4 wk post-surgery, the synovitis was evaluated using qPCR. Degradations of the articular cartilage of the tibial plateau were evaluated using classical methods and CEX-μCT. Evaluation of the synovitis demonstrated significantly increased expression levels of inflammation-associated marker genes in MMx-treated knees compared to that in sham-treated knees. Evaluation of the articular cartilage using classical methods showed that MMx fully induced degradation of the cartilage. Evaluation using CEX-μCT showed that local areas of the medial cartilage of the tibial plateau were significantly reduced in MMx-treated knees compared to that in sham-treated knees. On the other hand, total cartilage volumes were significantly increased in MMx-treated knees. Based on the findings of this study, the researchers in KOA research could be helped to select an optimal KOA model to discover new drugs.

Teriparatide ameliorates articular cartilage degradation and aberrant subchondral bone remodeling in DMM mice

“…The region of interest (ROI) was defined between the SCB plate and the epiphysis [ 19 ]. The SCB was scanned and three-dimensionally reconstructed by microcomputer tomography (Micro-CT) (vivo CT 80, SCANCO MEDICAL, Switzerland) with a voxel size of 7.8 ​μm, energy/intensity of 70 ​kV, 114 ​μA, and 8 ​W.…”