The Serum Protein Profile and Acute Phase Proteins in the Postoperative Period in Sheep after Induced Articular Cartilage Defect

Abstract

Although several new implants have been developed using animal studies for the treatment of osteochondral and cartilage defects, there is a lack of information on the possible metabolic and biochemical reactions of the body to the implantation of biomaterials and cartilage reconstruction. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the serum protein pattern and the alterations in the concentrations of selected acute phase proteins in five clinically healthy female sheep before and after the reconstruction of experimentally induced articular cartilage defects using polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan based biopolymer material. The concentrations of total serum proteins (TSP), protein fractions, and selected acute phase proteins—serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and C-reactive protein (CRP)—were measured before and on days seven, 14, and 30 after the surgical intervention. The TSP concentrations showed no marked differences during the evaluated period. Albumin values decreased on day seven and day 14 after surgery. In the concentrations of α1-, α2-, β-, and γ2-globulins, a gradual significant increase was observed during the postoperative period (p < 0.05). The γ1-globulins decreased slightly seven days after surgery. The concentrations of SAA, Hp, and CRP increased significantly after the surgical intervention with a subsequent decrease on day 30. Presented results suggest marked alterations in the serum protein pattern after surgical intervention.

Changes in the Acute-Phase Protein Concentrations and Activities of Some Enzymes in Pigs Following the Repair of Experimentally Induced Articular Cartilage Defects Using Two Types of Biocement Powder

“…On the other hand, persistently high or increasing concentrations of acute-phase proteins may indicate complications after surgery, ongoing inflammatory processes, infection of the surgical wound or lack of treatment response [27,39]. Similar findings were presented by Tóthová et al [16] in sheep after the reconstruction of experimentally induced articular cartilage defects using polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan-based biopolymer material, with significantly increased concentrations of Hp, SAA, and CRP after the surgical intervention and a subsequent decrease during the one-month post-operative period. Similarly, Aulin et al [40] found in rabbits a pronounced increase of SAA concentrations after the surgical induction of full thickness osteochondral defect in the femorotibial joints and its decrease to preoperative values four weeks post-operatively.…”

“…The repair process and response in the animal models should be evaluated not only by clinical examination, radiographic testing, histopathological, and immunohistochemical methods, but also by biochemical and serum biomarker assessments. To the author’s knowledge, the only study dealing with the evaluation of post-operative inflammatory state after cartilage repair by the measurement of acute phase protein concentrations was conducted recently by Tóthová et al [16] in sheep. These proteins were found to be useful biomarkers of both individual animal and herd health status [17].…”

PHB/CHIT Scaffold as a Promising Biopolymer in the Treatment of Osteochondral Defects—An Experimental Animal Study

“…The PHB/CHIT scaffolds did not elicit any adverse immunological reaction as shown by hematological analysis. In this context, we also evaluated acute phase protein concentrations where we observed decreasing tendency to preoperative values already four weeks after the PHB/CHIT biomaterial implantation; thus, the inflammatory reaction was no longer present [ 32 ]. We also demonstrated successful preclinical testing of PHB/CHIT-based scaffold using the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay [ 44 ].…”

“…Before the inclusion into the study, the animals underwent standard preoperative clinical examination. It included the assessment of overall health status (food intake, behavior), inspection and recording of body temperature, respiratory and pulse rates, and a detailed evaluation of the organ systems [ 32 ]. After surgical intervention, the health status of the animals was evaluated daily until the end of the experimental study, and was oriented to the observation of the general health state after the surgical procedure, as well as local signs of inflammation.…”

Histological Scoring Systems in the Cartilage Repair of Sheep

“…Observation of the polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan mixture appearance demonstrated a macroporous microstructure of the spongy-like biopolymer composite implanted with high fractions of irregularly shaped macropores with sizes up to 100 µm and micropores < 20 µm(Fig. 1)[23].…”