Kartogenin associated to micro of the subchondral bone in the joint cartilage repair in horses

ABSTRACT Articular cartilage reconstruction is still a challenge in Veterinary Medicine. The aim was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of kartogenin, a small molecule that promotes chondrocyte differentiation, in the repair of induced chondral defects pretreated with subchondral drilling. Six horses with a mean (± SD) weight of 342 ± 1.58Kg, aging 7.2 ± 1.30 years, and with a mean 7.1 ± 0.75 body score condition were used. In both stifles, a 1cm2 chondral defect was induced in the lateral femoral trochlea followed by treatment with subchondral drilling. Four intra-articular injections with kartogenin (20mM) were performed weekly in one stifle (treated group). The same procedure using saline solution was performed in the contralateral joint (control group). Clinical, radiographic, ultrasound evaluations were performed for a period of 60 days. No statistical differences were detected between groups in any of the studied variables. Although kartogenin has shown to improve articular cartilage repair in laboratory animal models, the same was not observed in this equine model. In conclusion, the kartogenin therapy, according to the used protocol, did not promote any clinical benefit in equine femoral trochlear defects pretreated with subcondral drilling.

摘要：关节软骨重建仍是兽医临床医学中的一大难题。本研究旨在评估促软骨分化小分子 Kartogenin 在经软骨下钻孔预处理的诱导性软骨缺损修复中的治疗效果。本实验选用6匹受试马，其平均体重为342±1.58千克，平均年龄为7.2±1.30岁，平均体况评分为7.1±0.75（标准差SD）。在每匹马的双侧膝关节股骨外侧滑车处制造1cm²的诱导性软骨缺损，随后行软骨下钻孔处理。对其中一侧膝关节（实验组）每周予以关节腔内注射20mM的Kartogenin，共给药4次；对另一侧膝关节（对照组）则采用相同操作，仅将注射剂替换为生理盐水。在为期60天的实验周期内，对所有受试对象进行临床、影像学及超声评估。结果显示，两组间所有研究变量均未检测到统计学差异。尽管既往研究表明Kartogenin可改善实验动物模型的关节软骨修复效果，但本次马属动物模型中未观察到类似结果。综上，按照本实验方案开展的Kartogenin治疗，并未对经软骨下钻孔预处理的马属动物股骨滑车软骨缺损产生任何临床获益。