A comparative study of the epiligament of the medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments in the human knee: Immunohistochemical analysis of CD 34, α-smooth muscle actin and vascular endothelial growth factor in relation to epiligament theory.

Autor: Georgiev GP; Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Queen Giovanna - ISUL, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria. Electronic address: georgievgp@yahoo.com., Tubbs RS; Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada; Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA; Department of Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA; Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA; Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA., Olewnik Ł; Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland., Zielinska N; Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland., Telang M; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria., Ananiev J; Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Trakia University, Faculty of Medicine, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria., Dimitrova IN; Department of Cardiology, University Hospital 'St. Ekaterina', Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria., Slavchev SA; University Hospital of Orthopedics 'Prof. B. Boychev', Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria., Yordanov Y; Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria., LaPrade RF; Twin Cities Orthopedics, Edina, MN, USA., Ruzik K; Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland., Landzhov B; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The Knee [Knee] 2022 Dec; Vol. 39, pp. 78-90. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Sep 28.
DOI: 10.1016/j.knee.2022.07.013
Abstrakt: Background: This study evaluated and compared the expression of VEGF, CD34, and α-SMA in the anterior cruciate ligaments and medial collateral ligaments in healthy human knees in order to enrich the epiligament theory regarding ligament healing after injury.
Methods: Samples from the mid-substance of the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial collateral ligament of 12 fresh knee joints were used. Monoclonal antibodies against CD34, α-SMA, and VEGF were used for immunohistochemical analysis. Photomicrographs were analyzed using the ImageJ software.
Results: The epiligament of the anterior cruciate ligament showed slightly higher expression of CD34, α-SMA, and VEGF than the epiligament of the medial collateral ligament. Overall, among the tested markers, α-SMA expression was most pronounced in anterior cruciate ligament epiligament images and CD34 dominated in medial collateral ligament epiligament images. The intensity of DAB staining for CD34, α-SMA, and VEGF was higher in vascular areas of the epiligament than in epiligament connective tissue.
Conclusions: The results illustrate that CD34, α-SMA, and VEGF are expressed in the human epiligament. The differences between the epiligament of the investigated ligaments and the fact that CD34, α-SMA, and VEGF, which are known to have a definite role in ligament healing, are predominantly expressed in the main vascular part of the ligament-epiligament complex enlarge the existing epiligament theory. Future investigations regarding better ligament healing should not overlook the epiligament tissue.
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: [Georgi P. Georgiev reports a relationship with Medical Iniversity of Sofia that includes: employment.]
(Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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