ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: We evaluated mRNA expression levels of genes that encode TGF-β1; the TGF-β1 receptor; the collagen-modifying enzymes LOX, PLOD1, and PLOD2; and the extracellular matrix proteins COMP, FN1, TNC and TNXB in synovial/capsule specimens from patients with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis. Possible associations between the measured mRNA levels and clinical parameters were also investigated. METHODS: We obtained glenohumeral joint synovium/capsule specimens from 9 patients with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis who had not shown improvement in symptoms after 5 months of physiotherapy. Adhesive capsulitis was confirmed in all patients by magnetic resonance imaging. We also obtained specimens from 8 control patients who had underwent surgery for acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation and who had radiological indication of glenohumeral capsule alteration based on arthroscopic evaluation. mRNA expression in the synovium/capsule specimens was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The B2M and HPRT1 genes were used as references to normalize target gene expression in the shoulder tissue samples. RESULTS: The synovium/capsule samples from the patients with adhesive capsulitis had significantly higher TNC and FN1 expression than those from the controls. Additionally, symptom duration directly correlated with expression of TGFβ1 receptor I. CONCLUSION: Elevated levels of TNC and FN1 expression may be a marker of capsule injury. Upregulation of TGFβ1 receptor I seems to be dependent on symptom duration; therefore, TGFβ signaling may be involved in adhesive capsulitis. As such, TNC, FN1 and TGFβ1 receptor I may also play roles in adhesive capsulitis by contributing to capsule inflammation and fibrosis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Young Adult , Bursitis/metabolism , Fibronectins/metabolism , Shoulder Joint/metabolism , Synovial Membrane/metabolism , Tenascin/metabolism , Transforming Growth Factor beta1/genetics , Acromioclavicular Joint/injuries , Acromioclavicular Joint/metabolism , Bursitis/genetics , Case-Control Studies , Extracellular Matrix Proteins/metabolism , Gene Expression , Joint Dislocations/metabolism , Pilot Projects , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolismABSTRACT
Numerous musculoskeletal disorders are caused by thickened ligament, tendon stiffness, or fibrosis of joint capsule. Relaxin, a peptide hormone, can exert collagenolytic effect on ligamentous and fibrotic tissues. We hypothesized that local injection of relaxin could be used to treat entrapment neuropathy and adhesive capsulitis. Because hormonal effect depends on the receptor of the hormone on the target cell, it is important to confirm the presence of such hormonal receptor at the target tissue before the hormone therapy is initiated. The aim of this study was to determine whether there were relaxin receptors in the ligament, tendon, and joint capsular tissues of rats and to identify the distribution of relaxin receptors in these tissues. Transverse carpal ligaments (TCLs), inguinal ligaments, anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs), Achilles tendons, and shoulder joint capsules were obtained from male Wistar rats. Western blot analysis was used to identify relaxin receptor isoforms RXFP1 and RXFP2. The distribution of relaxin receptors was determined by immunohistochemical staining. The RXFP1 isoform was found in all tissues examined. The RXFP2 isoform was present in all tissues but the TCLs. Its expression in ACLs tissues was relatively weak compared to that in other tissues. Our results revealed that RXFP1 and RXFP2 were distributed in distinctly different patterns according to the type of tissue (vascular endothelial cells, fibroblast-like cells) they were identified.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Blotting, Western , Gene Expression Regulation , Immunohistochemistry , Ligaments/metabolism , Rats, Wistar , Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics , Receptors, Peptide/genetics , Shoulder Joint/metabolism , Tendons/metabolismABSTRACT
FUNDAMENTAÇÃO: Algumas variáveis da aptidão física são marcadamente influenciadas pelas fases do ciclo menstrual (CM); contudo, há pouca informação sobre eventuais modificações na flexibilidade. OBJETIVO: Analisar o comportamento da flexibilidade corporal - global, por articulação e por movimento - em mulheres adultas jovens nas diferentes fases do CM. MÉTODOS: Estudou-se uma amostra de 15 mulheres. O grupo experimental (GE) foi constituído de alunas eumenorréicas, enquanto o grupo controle (GC) incluía alunas em uso regular havia pelo menos um mês de anticoncepcional oral (AO). Dados referentes ao período menstrual e ao uso de AO foram obtidos através da aplicação de um questionário. A flexibilidade foi avaliada pelo Flexiteste, permitindo uma análise da flexibilidade global (Flexíndice), por articulação, por movimento e em sua variabilidade. Os Flexíndices foram ainda comparados com os correspondentes percentis para gênero e idade. Para a análise estatística das três medidas do GE - fases folicular, ovulatória e lútea - e das duas do GC entre dias cinco e 26 do ciclo, utilizou-se ANOVA ou teste t conforme apropriado. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferenças na flexibilidade, movimento a movimento ou Flexíndice nas diferentes fases do CM no GE e nas duas medidas do GC (p > 0,05). O percentil do Flexíndice para o GC variou de 14 a 35 e no GE, de 14 a 80. Analisando as articulações e os índices de variabilidade, não foram encontradas diferenças significativas com as fases do CM (p > 0,05), com a exceção do índice de variabilidade distal-proximal entre as fases ovulatória e folicular no GE. CONCLUSÃO: Os dados obtidos não corroboram a impressão empírica de que a flexibilidade varia durante as fases do CM. Não se pode, contudo, afastar a hipótese de que a ausência de variações tenha ocorrido devido a alguma característica da amostra ou por limitações do Flexiteste em identificar mínimas variações, sendo necessária a realização de outros estudos.