Animal Models and Experimental Medicine >

2024 , Vol. 7 >Issue 2: 145 - 155

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ame2.12388

The efficacy of vitamin E in preventing arthrofibrosis after joint replacement

  • Yingfang Fan 1,2 ,
  • Jean Yuh 1 ,
  • Sashank Lekkala 1 ,
  • Mehmet D. Asik 1,2 ,
  • Andrew Thomson 1 ,
  • Madeline McCanne 1 ,
  • Mark A. Randolph 2,3 ,
  • Antonia F. Chen 4 ,
  • Ebru Oral , 1,2
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  • 1. Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  • 2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  • 3. Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  • 4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
eoral@mgh.harvard.edu

Received date: 16 Aug 2023

Accepted date: 10 Jan 2024

Copyright

2024 2024 The Authors. Animal Models and Experimental Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.
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Abstract

Background: Arthrofibrosis is a joint disorder characterized by excessive scar formation in the joint tissues. Vitamin E is an antioxidant with potential anti-fibroblastic effect. The aim of this study was to establish an arthrofibrosis rat model after joint replacement and assess the effects of vitamin E supplementation on joint fibrosis.

Methods: We simulated knee replacement in 16 male Sprague–Dawley rats. We immobilized the surgical leg with a suture in full flexion. The control groups were killed at 2 and 12 weeks (n = 5 per group), and the test group was supplemented daily with vitamin E (0.2 mg/mL) in their drinking water for 12 weeks (n = 6). We performed histological staining to investigate the presence and severity of arthrofibrosis. Immunofluorescent staining and α2-macroglobulin (α2M) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to assess local and systemic inflammation. Static weight bearing (total internal reflection) and range of motion (ROM) were collected for functional assessment.

Results: The ROM and weight-bearing symmetry decreased after the procedure and recovered slowly with still significant deficit at the end of the study for both groups. Histological analysis confirmed fibrosis in both lateral and posterior periarticular tissue. Vitamin E supplementation showed a moderate anti-inflammatory effect on the local and systemic levels. The vitamin E group exhibited significant improvement in ROM and weight-bearing symmetry at day 84 compared to the control group.

Conclusions: This model is viable for simulating arthrofibrosis after joint replacement. Vitamin E may benefit postsurgical arthrofibrosis, and further studies are needed for dosing requirements.

Key words： arthrofibrosis; range of motion; total knee arthroplasty; vitamin E

Cite this article

Yingfang Fan , Jean Yuh , Sashank Lekkala , Mehmet D. Asik , Andrew Thomson , Madeline McCanne , Mark A. Randolph , Antonia F. Chen , Ebru Oral . The efficacy of vitamin E in preventing arthrofibrosis after joint replacement[J]. Animal Models and Experimental Medicine, 2024 , 7(2) : 145 -155 . DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12388

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