Title
Influence of site and age on biochemical characteristics of the collagen network of equine articular cartilage
Author
Brama, P.A.J.
TeKoppele, J.M.
Bank, R.A.
van Weeren, P.R.
Barneveld, A.
Dept. of Gen. and Large Anim. Surg., Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht 3584CM, Netherlands Div. Vasc. Connective Tissue Res., Gaubius Laboratory, TNO Prevention and Health, Leiden 2301CE, Netherlands
Publication year
1999
Abstract
Objective - To determine variations in biochemical characteristics of equine articular cartilage in relation to age and the degree of predisposition for osteochondral disease at a specific site. Sample Population - Articular cartilage specimens from 53 horses 4 to 30 years old. Procedure - Healthy specimens were obtained from 2 locations on the proximal articular surface of the first phalanx that had different disease prevalences (site 1 at the mediodorsal margin and site 2 at the center of the medial cavity). Water, total collagen, and hydroxylysine contents and enzymatic (hydroxylysylpyridinoline [HP]) and nonenzymatic (pentosidine) crosslinking were determined at both sites. Differences between sites were analyzed by ANOVA (factors, site, and age), and age correlation was tested by Pearson's product-moment correlation analysis. Significance was set at P < 0.01. Results - Correlation with age was not found for water, collagen, hydroxylysine contents, and enzymatic cross-linking. Nonenzymatic crosslinking was higher in older horses and was linearly related to age (r = 0.94). Water and collagen contents and HP and pentosidine crosslinks were significantly higher at site 1. Hydroxylysine content was significantly lower at site 1. Conclusions - Except for nonenzymatic glycation, the composition of articular cartilage collagen does not change significantly in adult horses. A significant topographic variation exists in biochemical characteristics of the articular cartilage collagen network in equine metacarpophalangeal joints. These differences may influence local biomechanical properties and, hence, susceptibility to osteochondral disease, as will greater pentosidine crosslinks in older horses that are likely to cause stiffer and more brittle cartilage.
Subject
Biology
Biomedical Research
collagen
aging
animal
animal disease
article
articular cartilage
histology
horse
horse disease
metabolism
osteochondritis
pathology
protein processing
Aging
Animals
Cartilage, Articular
Collagen
Horse Diseases
Horses
Osteochondritis
Protein Processing, Post-Translational
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TNO identifier
234966
ISSN
0002-9645
Source
American Journal of Veterinary Research, 60 (3), 341-345
Document type
article