Thornton GM, Reno CR, Achari Y, Morck DW, Hart DA. Surgical menopause initiates molecular changes that do not result in mechanical changes in normal and healing ligaments.
Bone Joint Res 2015;
4:38-44. [PMID:
25761872 PMCID:
PMC4381691 DOI:
10.1302/2046-3758.43.2000339]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives
Ligaments which heal spontaneously have a healing process that
is similar to skin wound healing. Menopause impairs skin wound healing
and may likewise impair ligament healing. Our purpose in this study
was to investigate the effect of surgical menopause on ligament
healing in a rabbit medial collateral ligament model.
Methods
Surgical menopause was induced with ovariohysterectomy surgery
in adult female rabbits. Ligament injury was created by making a
surgical gap in the midsubstance of the medial collateral ligament.
Ligaments were allowed to heal for six or 14 weeks in the presence
or absence of oestrogen before being compared with uninjured ligaments. Molecular
assessment examined the messenger ribonucleic acid levels for collagens,
proteoglycans, proteinases, hormone receptors, growth factors and
inflammatory mediators. Mechanical assessments examined ligament
laxity, total creep strain and failure stress.
Results
Surgical menopause in normal medial collateral ligaments initiated
molecular changes in all the categories evaluated. In early healing
medial collateral ligaments, surgical menopause resulted in downregulation
of specific collagens, proteinases and inflammatory mediators at
6 weeks of healing, and proteoglycans, growth factors and hormone receptors
at 14 weeks of healing. Surgical menopause did not produce mechanical
changes in normal or early healing medial collateral ligaments.
With or without surgical menopause, healing ligaments exhibited
increased total creep strain and decreased failure stress compared
with uninjured ligaments.
Conclusions
Surgical menopause did not affect the mechanical properties of
normal or early healing medial collateral ligaments in a rabbit
model. The results in this preclinical model suggest that menopause
may result in no further impairment to the ligament healing process.
Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2015;4:38–44
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