A potential new role for myofibroblasts in remodeling of sub-rupture fatigue tendon injuries by exercise

作者：Belli Rebecca; Gendron N Remi; Anderson Matthew; Flatow Evan L; Andarawis Puri Nelly^*

来源：Scientific Reports, 2018, 8(1): 8933.

DOI：10.1038/s41598-018-27196-5

Tendons are ineffective at repairing sub-rupture fatigue injuries. Accordingly, we evaluated whether an exercise protocol that we have previously found to decrease structural damage kinks in fatigue damaged tendons, leads to improvement in mechanical properties. We hypothesized that exercise that promotes repair of fatigue damage will decrease apoptosis and increase the population of myofibroblasts. Rat patellar tendons underwent in vivo fatigue loading for 500 or 7200 cycles. Animals resumed cage activity for 2-weeks, then either remained cage active or began treadmill running until sacrifice at 4- or 10-weeks post-fatigue loading. Exercise following fatigue damage increased the stiffness back towards naive levels, decreased apoptosis and increased the population of myofibroblasts. Next, proteins associated with inhibition of apoptosis (Collagen VI) or activation of myofibroblast (pSmad 2/3, fibrillin, integrin subunits alpha V and alpha 5) were evaluated. Data suggests that collagen VI may not be integral to inhibition of apoptosis in this context. Exercise increased pSmad 2/3 and fibrillin in the insertion region for the 7200-cycles group. In addition, exercise decreased integrin alpha V and increased integrin alpha 5 in fatigue damaged tendons. Data suggests that a decrease in apoptosis and an increase in population of myofibroblasts may be integral to remodeling of fatigue damaged tendons.

• 出版日期2018-6-12