| 1. |
- Backman, Ludvig J, et al.
(author)
-
Alpha-2 adrenergic stimulation triggers Achilles tenocyte hypercellularity : comparison between two model systems
- 2013
-
In: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0905-7188 .- 1600-0838. ; 23:6, s. 687-696
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The histopathology of tendons with painful tendinopathy is often tendinosis, a fibrosis-like condition of unclear pathogenesis characterized by tissue changes including hypercellularity. The primary tendon cells (tenocytes) have been shown to express adrenoreceptors (mainly alpha-2A) as well as markers of catecholamine production, particularly in tendinosis. It is known that adrenergic stimulation can induce proliferation in other cells. The present study investigated the effects of an exogenously administered alpha-2 adrenergic agonist in an established in vivo Achilles tendinosis model (rabbit) and also in an in vitro human tendon cell culture model. The catecholamine producing enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase and the alpha-2A-adrenoreceptor (α(2A) AR) were expressed by tenocytes, and alpha-2 adrenergic stimulation had a proliferative effect on these cells, in both models. The proliferation was inhibited by administration of an α(2A) AR antagonist, and the in vitro model further showed that the proliferative alpha-2A effect was mediated via a mitogenic cell signaling pathway involving phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2. The results indicate that catecholamines produced by tenocytes in tendinosis might contribute to the proliferative nature of the pathology through stimulation of the α(2A) AR, pointing to a novel target for future therapies. The study furthermore shows that animal models are not necessarily required for all aspects of this research.
|
|
| 2. |
- Fong, Gloria, et al.
(author)
-
Human tenocytes are stimulated to proliferate by acetylcholine through an EGFR signalling pathway
- 2013
-
In: Cell and Tissue Research. - : Springer-Verlag New York. - 0302-766X .- 1432-0878. ; 351:3, s. 465-475
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Studies of human patellar and Achilles tendons have shown that primary tendon fibroblasts (tenocytes) not only have the capacity to produce acetylcholine (ACh) but also express muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChRs) through which ACh can exert its effects. In patients with tendinopathy (chronic tendon pain) with tendinosis, the tendon tissue is characterised by hypercellularity and angiogenesis, both of which might be influenced by ACh. In this study, we have tested the hypothesis that ACh increases the proliferation rate of tenocytes through mAChR stimulation and have examined whether this mechanism operates via the extracellular activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), as shown in other fibroblastic cells. By use of primary human tendon cell cultures, we identified cells expressing vimentin, tenomodulin and scleraxis and found that these cells also contained enzymes related to ACh synthesis and release (choline acetyltransferase and vesicular acetylcholine transporter). The cells furthermore expressed mAChRs of several subtypes. Exogenously administered ACh stimulated proliferation and increased the viability of tenocytes in vitro. When the cells were exposed to atropine (an mAChR antagonist) or the EGFR inhibitor AG1478, the proliferative effect of ACh decreased. Western blot revealed increased phosphorylation, after ACh stimulation, for both EGFR and the extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2. Given that tenocytes have been shown to produce ACh and express mAChRs, this study provides evidence of a possible autocrine loop that might contribute to the hypercellularity seen in tendinosis tendon tissue.
|
|
| 3. |
- Fong, Gloria, et al.
(author)
-
Substance P enhances collagen remodeling and MMP-3 expression by human tenocytes
- 2013
-
In: Journal of Orthopaedic Research. - HOBOKEN, NJ, USA : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0736-0266 .- 1554-527X. ; 31:1, s. 91-98
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The loss of collagen organization is considered a hallmark histopathologic feature of tendinosis. At the cellular level, tenocytes have been shown to produce signal substances that were once thought to be restricted to neurons. One of the main neuropeptides implicated in tendinosis, substance P (SP), is known to influence collagen organization, particularly after injury. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of SP on collagen remodeling by primary human tendon cells cultured in vitro in three-dimensional collagen lattices. We found that SP stimulation led to an increased rate of collagen remodeling mediated via the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1 R), the preferred cell receptor for SP. Gene expression analysis showed that SP stimulation resulted in significant increases in MMP3, COL3A1 and ACTA2 mRNA levels in the collagen lattices. Furthermore, cyclic tensile loading of tendon cell cultures along with the administration of exogenous SP had an additive effect on MMP3 expression. Immunoblotting confirmed that SP increased MMP3 protein levels via the NK-1 R. This study indicates that SP, mediated via NK-1 R, increases collagen remodeling and leads to increased MMP3 mRNA and protein expression that is further enhanced by cyclic mechanical loading.
|
|
