Intensity-dependent Effect of Treadmill Running on Knee Articular Cartilage in a Rat Model

Overview

Journal Biomed Res Int

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
General Medicine

Date 2014 Apr 3

PMID 24693534

Citations 28

Authors

Guo-Xin Ni

Sheng-Yao Liu

Lei Lei

Zhe Li

Yue-Zhu Zhou

Li-Qiong Zhan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To understand the changes of femoral cartilage in response to treadmill running with different intensities in the hope of differentiating "moderate" and "strenuous" running in a rat model.

Method: A total of 24 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into groups of sedentary (SED), low-intensity running (LIR), medium-intensity running (MIR), and high-intensity running (HIR). Rats in LIR, MIR, and HIR groups underwent 8 weeks' treadmill running programs. After sacrificed, femoral condyles were collected to take histomorphometric analysis and immunohistochemistry for collagen II.

Results: Gross and histological observation showed osteoarthritic changes in group HIR. In comparison to SED group, there was significant increase in cartilage thickness, number of chondrocytes, and GAG content in groups LIR and MIR. Conversely, decrease in cartilage thickness, chondrocyte number, and GAG content was found in rats of HIR group, without significant difference though. In addition, in comparison to SED group, HIR group exhibited disorganization of collagen fibril and significantly lower content of collagen type II.

Conclusion: An intensity-dependent effect was suggested on the articular cartilage. Our results also demonstrated that running with low-to-medium intensity applied in the present study should be regarded as "moderate" running, whereas high-intensity running as "strenuous" running.

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