Establishment of rabbit models of corticosteroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hormone use has become the primary cause of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (SANFH). OBJECTIVE: This study used a combination of injection of horse serum and a large dose of corticosteroid to develop a hormone-induced rabbit model of early avascular necrosis of femoral head (ANFH), and preliminary discussed the pathogenesis of ANFH. METHODS: New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Methylprednisolone with horse serum group horse serum (10 mL/kg) was injected. Three weeks later, 6 mL/kg of horse serum was injected. Two weeks later, 45 mg/kg of methylprednisolone was daily injected for 5 consecutive days. Methylprednisolone group 45 mg/kg of methylprednisolone was daily injected for 5 consecutive days. Control group no treatment was given. Serum cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels were detected at 1, 3, 7 and 14 days before and after hormone injection. MRI and histopathological detection was done in femoral head at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after hormone injection. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The serum triglyceride and total cholesterol in methylprednisolone with horse serum group and methylprednisolone group were higher than control group at 1 and 3 days after hormone injection (P < 0.01). MRI results displayed abnormal signal in femoral head at 4 weeks in methylprednisolone with horse serum group, but in the methylprednisolone group at 8 weeks. Histological detection results exhibited that at 4 weeks, some trabeculae were broken into fragments, and the empty bone lacunae increased. At 8 weeks, the trabeculae showed thinning and broken. There were large amount of empty bone lacunae with bone cell atrophy and larger fat cells which were fused into bubbles. In methylprednisolone group, the level of necrosis was lighter than methylprednisolone with horse serum group during each period. Results suggest that hormone combined with horse serum can successfully prepare early-stage hormone-induced ANFH.