TY - JOUR
T1 - No detectable remodelling in adult human menisci
T2 - an analysis based on the C14 bomb pulse
AU - Våben, Christoffer
AU - Heinemeier, Katja M
AU - Schjerling, Peter
AU - Olsen, Jesper
AU - Petersen, Michael Mørk
AU - Kjaer, Michael
AU - Krogsgaard, Michael R
N1 - © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Bone and other human tissues remodel through life, for example, as a response to increasing load, and this prevents permanent destruction of the tissue. Non-traumatic meniscal rupture is a common musculoskeletal disease, but it is unknown if it is caused by inability of the menisci to remodel. The aim of this study was to determine whether meniscal collagen is remodelling throughout life.METHODS: The life-long turnover of the human meniscal collagens was explored by the 14C bomb pulse method. 14C levels were determined in menisci from 18 patients with osteoarthritis and 7 patients with healthy knees.RESULTS: There was a negligible turnover of the meniscal collagen in adults. This low turnover was observed in menisci from patients with knee osteoarthritis and in healthy menisci.CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that essentially no remodelling occurs in the adult human meniscal collagen structure and explains the clinical degeneration that is often seen in menisci of middle-aged and elderly persons. It suggests that strengthening of the collagen structure of menisci, as response to physical activity, may occur during childhood, while it is not possible in the adult population.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Bone and other human tissues remodel through life, for example, as a response to increasing load, and this prevents permanent destruction of the tissue. Non-traumatic meniscal rupture is a common musculoskeletal disease, but it is unknown if it is caused by inability of the menisci to remodel. The aim of this study was to determine whether meniscal collagen is remodelling throughout life.METHODS: The life-long turnover of the human meniscal collagens was explored by the 14C bomb pulse method. 14C levels were determined in menisci from 18 patients with osteoarthritis and 7 patients with healthy knees.RESULTS: There was a negligible turnover of the meniscal collagen in adults. This low turnover was observed in menisci from patients with knee osteoarthritis and in healthy menisci.CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that essentially no remodelling occurs in the adult human meniscal collagen structure and explains the clinical degeneration that is often seen in menisci of middle-aged and elderly persons. It suggests that strengthening of the collagen structure of menisci, as response to physical activity, may occur during childhood, while it is not possible in the adult population.
KW - Adult
KW - Body Water/metabolism
KW - Carbon Radioisotopes
KW - Collagen/metabolism
KW - Glycosaminoglycans/metabolism
KW - Humans
KW - Hydroxyproline/metabolism
KW - Menisci, Tibial/chemistry
KW - Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism
KW - Weight-Bearing
U2 - 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101360
DO - 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101360
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 32409517
VL - 54
SP - 1433
EP - 1437
JO - British Journal of Sports Medicine
JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine
SN - 0306-3674
IS - 23
ER -