Mitigation of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis in Rats via Augmented Immunomodulation of Endogenous Marrow-Derived Stem Cells

Abstract

Gait alterations caused by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, a common sports injury, results from pain, inflammation, and stress on the articular cartilage of the knee. ACL injuries are a leading precursor to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). PTOA is a subcategory of osteoarthritis that occurs when a traumatic injury leads to deterioration of the tissue, ligaments, or bones of a joint (Onur et al., 2014). The aim of this study was to use DigiGait analyzing software to determine if the use of a stem cell mobilizer, AMD3100, and an anti-inflammatory enzyme, indoleamine- 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO), could ameliorate the risk of PTOA induced by a non-invasive anterior tibial subluxation ACL injury in rodents. We hypothesized that the combination of IDO and AMD3100 induced mesenchymal stem cell treatment will prevent dramatic alterations in gait by preventing the progression of PTOA related cartilage degeneration.