Establishing a rat osteoarthritis model based on knee joint instability

Zhang Rong-Kai; Yang Lu-kun; Ye Zhi-qiang; Wu Zhao-ya; Zhao Qing; Cai Dao-zhang

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2013.37.014

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Osteoarthritis is a kind of complex multi-cause degenerative joint diseases. It is important to prevent and treat osteoarthritis in the early stage. But it is difficult to obtain the sufficient amount of human bone specimens with early osteoarthritis which are suitable for the research. <br> OBJECTIVE:To observe the pathological changes of articular cartilage in the rat osteoarthritis model established with joint instability. <br> METHODS:The 10-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups:the experimental group and the control group. Rats in the experimental group underwent open surgery, involving both medial meniscectomy and medial col ateral ligament transection. The rats in the control group only received capsular incision. The rats were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after operation to obtain the right knee joint specimens, and then histopathological examination was performed to analyze the changes of rat osteoarthritis disease. <br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The mild erosion, ulcers wear, severe wear, osteophyte formation and other pathological changes were observed during articular cartilage degeneration in the experimental group at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after operation. The articular cartilage score at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after operation in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The results showed that medial meniscectomy and medial col ateral ligament transection can effectively establish the rat knee osteoarthritis model, and the pathological and morphological changes at 4 weeks after modeling are similar to the performance of early human knee osteoarthritis, so the model is the ideal model to research the early osteoarthritis.