The Possible Therapeutic Role of Platelet Rich Plasma on a Model of Osteoarthritis in Male Albino Rat. Histological and Immunohistochemical Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University.

2 Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

3 Histology and cell biology. Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

Abstract

Introduction and Aim of the Study: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by joint pain and progressive loss of articular cartilage. This study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on the knee joint in a rat model of OA.  Materials and Methods: Forty adult male albino rats, weighing 200-250 gm, were used in this study, ten rats used as donors to obtain PRP. The other thirty rats were divided into two main groups. Group I: The control group (15 rats) in which the rats were subdivided into three subgroups. Subgroups IA and IB were sacrificed 4 and 6 weeks after the beginning of the experiment. Subgroup IC left for 4 weeks then received intra-articular injection of PRP in the right knee joint which was repeated three times per week for 2 weeks then the animals were sacrificed. Group II (The experimental group) (15 rats) in which OA was induced by surgical induction of cartilaginous defect in the right knee joints. The rats of group II were subdivided into three subgroups. Subgroups IIA and IIB were sacrificed 4 and 6 weeks after induction of OA respectively. Subgroup IIC received intra-articular injection of PRP (0.2 ml) in the right knee joints 4 weeks after surgery. The injection was repeated three times per week for 2 weeks then the animals were sacrificed. The right joints from all groups were collected, decalcified and processed for histological studies. Specimens were also processed for transmission electron microscopic study. Morphometric and statistical measurements were done.
Results: Histological examination of the right knee joints of OA groups (subgroups IIA and IIB) resulted in thickening of the intimal lining of the synovial membrane, cellular infiltration, increased collagen content of the subintimal and moderate expression of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). The articular cartilage showed surface erosions, thinning of cartilage, chondrocytes and ground substance loss. Injection of PRP resulted in improvement of the structure of the articular cartilage and the synovial membrane with strong expression of PDGF.
Conclusion: Intra-articular injection of PRP resulted in a significant improvement in the histological structure of the knee joint in a rat model of OA.

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