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Newton JB, Weiss SN, Nuss CA, Darrieutort-Laffite C, Eekhoff JD, Birk DE, Soslowsky LJ. Decorin and/or biglycan knockdown in aged mouse patellar tendon impacts fibril morphology, scar area, and mechanical properties. J Orthop Res 2024. [PMID: 38967120 DOI: 10.1002/jor.25931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Small leucine-rich proteoglycans, such as decorin and biglycan, play pivotal roles in collagen fibrillogenesis during development, healing, and aging in tendon. Previous work has shown that the absence of decorin and biglycan affects fibril shape and mechanical properties during tendon healing. However, the roles of decorin and biglycan in the healing process of aged tendons are unclear. Therefore the objective of this study was to evaluate the differential roles of decorin and biglycan during healing of patellar tendon injury in aged mice. Aged (300 days old) female Dcn+/+/Bgn+/+ control (WT, n = 52), Dcnflox/flox (I-Dcn-/-, n = 36), Bgnflox/flox (I-Bgn-/-, n = 36), and compound Dcnflox/flox/Bgnflox/flox (I-Dcn-/-/Bgn-/-, n = 36) mice with a tamoxifen-inducible Cre were utilized. Targeted gene expression, collagen fibril diameter distributions, mechanical properties, and histological assays were employed to assess the effects of knockdown of decorin and/or biglycan at the time of injury. Knockdown resulted in alterations in fibril diameter distribution and scar area, but surprisingly did not lead to many differences in mechanical properties. Biglycan played a larger role in early healing stages, while decorin is more significant in later stages, particularly in scar remodeling. This study highlights some of the differential roles of biglycan and decorin in the regulation of fibril structure and scar area, as well as influencing gene expression during healing in aged mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Newton
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stephanie N Weiss
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Courtney A Nuss
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christelle Darrieutort-Laffite
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeremy D Eekhoff
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David E Birk
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Louis J Soslowsky
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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2
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Lal MR, Agrawal DK. Chronic Adaptation of Achilles Tendon Tissues upon Injury to Rotator Cuff Tendon in Hyperlipidemic Swine. JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE 2024; 6:80-88. [PMID: 38939871 PMCID: PMC11210446 DOI: 10.26502/josm.511500146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The biomechanical properties of the tendon are affected due to the changes in composition of the tendon extracellular matrix (ECM). Age, overuse, trauma and metabolic disorders are a few associated conditions that contribute to tendon abnormalities. Hyperlipidemia is one of the leading factors that contribute to the compromised biomechanical. Injury was made on infraspinatus tendon of hyperlipidemic swines. After 8 weeks (i) infraspinatus tendon from the injury site, (ii) infraspinatus tendon from the contralateral side and (iii) Achilles tendon, were collected and analyzed for ECM components that form the major part in biomechanical properties. Immunostaining of infraspinatus tendon on the injury site had higher staining collagen type-1 (COL1A1), biglycan, prolyl 4-hydroxylase and mohawk but lower staining for decorin than the control group. The Achilles tendon of the swines that had injury on infraspinatus tendon showed a chronic adaptation towards load which was evident from a more organized ECM with increased decorin, mohawk and decreased biglycan, scleraxis. The mechanism behind the collagen turnover and chronic adaptation to load need to be studied in detail with the biomechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merlin Rajesh Lal
- Department of Translational Research, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California USA
| | - Devendra K Agrawal
- Department of Translational Research, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California USA
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3
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Liu X, Deng Y, Liang Z, Qiao D, Zhang W, Wang M, Li F, Liu J, Wu Y, Chen G, Liu Y, Tan W, Xing J, Huang W, Zhao D, Li Y. The alteration of the structure and macroscopic mechanical response of porcine patellar tendon by elastase digestion. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1374352. [PMID: 38694621 PMCID: PMC11061363 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1374352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The treatment of patellar tendon injury has always been an unsolved problem, and mechanical characterization is very important for its repair and reconstruction. Elastin is a contributor to mechanics, but it is not clear how it affects the elasticity, viscoelastic properties, and structure of patellar tendon. Methods: The patellar tendons from six fresh adult experimental pigs were used in this study and they were made into 77 samples. The patellar tendon was specifically degraded by elastase, and the regional mechanical response and structural changes were investigated by: (1) Based on the previous study of elastase treatment conditions, the biochemical quantification of collagen, glycosaminoglycan and total protein was carried out; (2) The patellar tendon was divided into the proximal, central, and distal regions, and then the axial tensile test and stress relaxation test were performed before and after phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or elastase treatment; (3) The dynamic constitutive model was established by the obtained mechanical data; (4) The structural relationship between elastin and collagen fibers was analyzed by two-photon microscopy and histology. Results: There was no statistical difference in mechanics between patellar tendon regions. Compared with those before elastase treatment, the low tensile modulus decreased by 75%-80%, the high tensile modulus decreased by 38%-47%, and the transition strain was prolonged after treatment. For viscoelastic behavior, the stress relaxation increased, the initial slope increased by 55%, the saturation slope increased by 44%, and the transition time increased by 25% after enzyme treatment. Elastin degradation made the collagen fibers of patellar tendon become disordered and looser, and the fiber wavelength increased significantly. Conclusion: The results of this study show that elastin plays an important role in the mechanical properties and fiber structure stability of patellar tendon, which supplements the structure-function relationship information of patellar tendon. The established constitutive model is of great significance to the prediction, repair and replacement of patellar tendon injury. In addition, human patellar tendon has a higher elastin content, so the results of this study can provide supporting information on the natural properties of tendon elastin degradation and guide the development of artificial patellar tendon biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Liu
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuping Deng
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeyu Liang
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Qiao
- Department of Pathology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wentian Zhang
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fujian, China
| | - Mian Wang
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Orthopaedics, Pingshan General Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feifei Li
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiannan Liu
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaobing Wu
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangxin Chen
- Medical Image College, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Gannan Healthcare Vocational College, Ganzhou, China
| | - Wenchang Tan
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jian Xing
- Medical Image College, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wenhua Huang
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Medical Innovation Platform for Translation of 3D Printing Application, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongliang Zhao
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanbing Li
- National Key Discipline of Human Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Translation of Medical 3D Printing Application, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Beach ZM, Nuss CA, Weiss SN, Soslowsky LJ. Neonatal Achilles Tendon Microstructure is Negatively Impacted by Decorin and Biglycan Knockdown After Injury and During Development. Ann Biomed Eng 2024; 52:657-670. [PMID: 38079083 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-023-03414-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Interest in studying neonatal development and the improved healing response observed in neonates is increasing, with the goal of using this work to create better therapeutics for tendon injury. Decorin and biglycan are two small leucine-rich proteoglycans that play important roles in collagen fibrillogenesis to develop, maintain, and repair tendon structure. However, little is known about the roles of decorin and biglycan in early neonatal development and healing. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of decorin and biglycan knockdown on Achilles tendon structure and mechanics during neonatal development and recovery of these properties after injury of the neonatal tendon. We hypothesized that knockdown of decorin and biglycan would disrupt the neonatal tendon developmental process and produce tendons with impaired mechanical and structural properties. We found that knockdown of decorin and biglycan in an inducible, compound decorin/biglycan knockdown model, both during development and after injury, in neonatal mice produced tendons with reduced mechanical properties. Additionally, the collagen fibril microstructure resembled an immature tendon with a large population of small diameter fibrils and an absence of larger diameter fibrils. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of decorin and biglycan in facilitating tendon growth and maturation during neonatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakary M Beach
- McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Courtney A Nuss
- McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie N Weiss
- McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Louis J Soslowsky
- McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Nemska S, Serio S, Larcher V, Beltrame G, Portinaro NM, Bang ML. Whole Genome Expression Profiling of Semitendinosus Tendons from Children with Diplegic and Tetraplegic Cerebral Palsy. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2918. [PMID: 38001919 PMCID: PMC10669597 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11112918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common movement disorder in children, with a prevalence ranging from 1.5 to 4 per 1000 live births. CP is caused by a non-progressive lesion of the developing brain, leading to progressive alterations of the musculoskeletal system, including spasticity, often leading to the development of fixed contractures, necessitating tendon lengthening surgery. Total RNA-sequencing analysis was performed on semitendinosus tendons from diplegic and tetraplegic CP patients subjected to tendon lengthening surgery compared to control patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery. Tetraplegic CP patients showed increased expression of genes implicated in collagen synthesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover, while only minor changes were observed in diplegic CP patients. In addition, tendons from tetraplegic CP patients showed an enrichment for upregulated genes involved in vesicle-mediated transport and downregulated genes involved in cytokine and apoptotic signaling. Overall, our results indicate increased ECM turnover with increased net synthesis of collagen in tetraplegic CP patients without activation of inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, similar to observations in athletes where ECM remodeling results in increased tendon stiffness and tensile strength. Nevertheless, the resulting increased tendon stiffness is an important issue in clinical practice, where surgery is often required to restore joint mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Nemska
- Milan Unit, Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), 20138 Milan, Italy; (S.N.); (S.S.)
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Serio
- Milan Unit, Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), 20138 Milan, Italy; (S.N.); (S.S.)
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Larcher
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Giulia Beltrame
- Residency Program in Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Milan, 20100 Milan, Italy;
| | - Nicola Marcello Portinaro
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20100 Milan, Italy
| | - Marie-Louise Bang
- Milan Unit, Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), 20138 Milan, Italy; (S.N.); (S.S.)
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
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6
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Leahy TP, Fung AK, Weiss SN, Dyment NA, Soslowsky LJ. Investigating the temporal roles of decorin and biglycan in tendon healing. J Orthop Res 2023; 41:2238-2249. [PMID: 37132501 PMCID: PMC10525000 DOI: 10.1002/jor.25590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The small leucine-rich proteoglycans, decorin and biglycan, are minor components of the tendon extracellular matrix that regulate fibrillogenesis and matrix assembly. Our study objective was to define the temporal roles of decorin and biglycan during tendon healing using inducible knockout mice to include genetic knockdown at specific phases of healing: time of injury, the proliferative phase, and the remodeling phase. We hypothesized that knockdown of decorin or biglycan would adversely affect tendon healing, and that by prescribing the timing of knockdown, we could elucidate the temporal roles of these proteins during healing. Contrary to our hypothesis, decorin knockdown did not affect tendon healing. However, when biglycan was knocked down, either alone or coupled with decorin, tendon modulus was increased relative to wild-type mice, and this finding was consistent among all induction timepoints. At 6 weeks postinjury, we observed increased expression of genes associated with the extracellular matrix and growth factor signaling in the biglycan knockdown and compound decorin-biglycan knockdown tendons. Interestingly, these groups demonstrated opposing trends in gene expression as a function of knockdown-induction timepoint, highlighting distinct temporal roles for decorin and biglycan. In summary, this study finds that biglycan plays multiple functions throughout tendon healing, with the most impactful, detrimental role likely occurring during late-stage healing. Statement of clinical importance: This study helps to define the molecular factors that regulate tendon healing, which may aid in the development of new clinical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Leahy
- McKay Orthopaedic Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ashley K. Fung
- McKay Orthopaedic Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie N. Weiss
- McKay Orthopaedic Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nathaniel A. Dyment
- McKay Orthopaedic Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Louis J. Soslowsky
- McKay Orthopaedic Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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7
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Darrieutort-Laffite C, Beach ZM, Weiss SN, Eekhoff JE, Soslowsky LJ. Knockdown of biglycan reveals an important role in maintenance of structural and mechanical properties during tendon aging. J Orthop Res 2023; 41:2287-2294. [PMID: 36822659 PMCID: PMC10444902 DOI: 10.1002/jor.25536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Biglycan, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP), is involved in collagen fibrillogenesis and also acts as a signaling molecule. Although decorin has been considered as the primary SLRP in developing and maintaining tendon structure and mechanics, more recent work using inducible knockdown models suggests that biglycan is involved in tendon homeostasis. The purpose of the study was to determine the role of biglycan in tendon homeostasis to maintain mechanical and structural integrity in aged mice. Aged (485 days old) female Bgn+/+ control (wild type [WT], n = 16) and 16 bitransgenic conditional Bgnflox/flox mice (I-Bgn-/- , n = 16) with a tamoxifen-inducible Cre (driven by ROSA) were utilized. After biglycan knockdown, the transgenic model demonstrated effective knockdown of the target gene without any compensation from other SLRPs or type I collagen. Patellar tendon cellularity was not modified after biglycan knockdown. However, biglycan knockdown had an impact on collagen fibrillogenesis with a higher percentage of small diameter fibrils (25-45 nm) and a lower percentage of medium size fibrils (150-165 nm) in I-Bgn-/- tendons. Biglycan knockdown also induced a reduction in the midsubstance modulus and maximum stress compared to WT. Stress relaxation was reduced at 4% strain in I-Bgn-/- tendons but no changes were observed in dynamic modulus and tan delta. As in mature tendons (120 days old), this study showed significant effects of biglycan knockdown on mechanical and structural properties of aged tendons only 30 days after knockdown. These data suggest that biglycan has a major role in maintaining homeostasis in aged tendon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Darrieutort-Laffite
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Service de Rhumatologie, CHU Nantes, 1 place Alexis Ricordeau, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Zakary M. Beach
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stephanie N. Weiss
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeremy E. Eekhoff
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Louis J. Soslowsky
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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8
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Doherty EL, Aw WY, Warren EC, Hockenberry M, Whitworth CP, Krohn G, Howell S, Diekman BO, Legant WR, Nia HT, Hickey AJ, Polacheck WJ. Patient-derived extracellular matrix demonstrates role of COL3A1 in blood vessel mechanics. Acta Biomater 2023; 166:346-359. [PMID: 37187299 PMCID: PMC10330735 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (vEDS) is a rare autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the COL3A1 gene, which renders patients susceptible to aneurysm and arterial dissection and rupture. To determine the role of COL3A1 variants in the biochemical and biophysical properties of human arterial ECM, we developed a method for synthesizing ECM directly from vEDS donor fibroblasts. We found that the protein content of the ECM generated from vEDS donor fibroblasts differed significantly from ECM from healthy donors, including upregulation of collagen subtypes and other proteins related to ECM structural integrity. We further found that ECM generated from a donor with a glycine substitution mutation was characterized by increased glycosaminoglycan content and unique viscoelastic mechanical properties, including increased time constant for stress relaxation, resulting in a decrease in migratory speed of human aortic endothelial cells when seeded on the ECM. Collectively, these results demonstrate that vEDS patient-derived fibroblasts harboring COL3A1 mutations synthesize ECM that differs in composition, structure, and mechanical properties from healthy donors. These results further suggest that ECM mechanical properties could serve as a prognostic indicator for patients with vEDS, and the insights provided by the approach demonstrate the broader utility of cell-derived ECM in disease modeling. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The role of collagen III ECM mechanics remains unclear, despite reported roles in diseases including fibrosis and cancer. Here, we generate fibrous, collagen-rich ECM from primary donor cells from patients with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS), a disease caused by mutations in the gene that encodes collagen III. We observe that ECM grown from vEDS patients is characterized by unique mechanical signatures, including altered viscoelastic properties. By quantifying the structural, biochemical, and mechanical properties of patient-derived ECM, we identify potential drug targets for vEDS, while defining a role for collagen III in ECM mechanics more broadly. Furthermore, the structure/function relationships of collagen III in ECM assembly and mechanics will inform the design of substrates for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Doherty
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA; UNC Catalyst for Rare Diseases, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Wen Yih Aw
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA; UNC Catalyst for Rare Diseases, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily C Warren
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Max Hockenberry
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chloe P Whitworth
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Grace Krohn
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Stefanie Howell
- UNC Catalyst for Rare Diseases, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brian O Diekman
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Wesley R Legant
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hadi Tavakoli Nia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anthony J Hickey
- UNC Catalyst for Rare Diseases, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William J Polacheck
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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