Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIMS: After resection and repair of the intestines, tissue degradation leads to weakening of the repair site and risk of postoperative leakage. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to be responsible for collagenolysis in the direct vicinity of surgical sutures in many tissues. Several experimental studies show that MMP inhibitors administered systemically alleviate postoperative weakening of intestinal anastomoses. We hypothesised that local delivery of MMP inhibitors would achieve a similar effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Implementing a novel method for the coating of biomaterials, we coated sutures with a cross-linked fibrinogen film and bound the MMP inhibitor doxycycline into this film. The sutures were then used in a standard rat model for evaluating mechanical properties of colonic anastomoses 3 days after surgery. RESULTS: The breaking strength of the anastomoses on the critical third day after operation was 17% higher with doxycycline-coated sutures compared to controls (P = 0.026). Energy uptake at failure was enhanced by 20% (P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Drug delivery by means of MMP-inhibitor-coated sutures appears to improve tissue integrity during anastomotic repair and may reduce postoperative complications.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To compare serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) between patients with a history of Achilles tendon rupture and blood donor controls, and to relate MMPs and TIMPs to mechanical properties of the tendons during healing. METHODS: More than three years after injury, we measured serum levels of MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, -8, -9 and -13 and TIMP-1 and -2 in eight patients who had suffered Achilles tendon rupture. Twelve blood donors served as controls. During the early phase of healing, the tendon modulus of elasticity was calculated from radiostereometric data and tendon cross-sectional area. RESULTS: Patients with a history of Achilles tendon rupture had increased levels of MMP-2 (median difference (m.d.) 10 %; p = 0.01), MMP-7 (m.d. 15 %; p = 0.02) and TIMP-2 (m.d. 36%; p = 0.02), as compared to controls. Levels of MMP-7, measured three years after injury, correlated inversely to tendon modulus of elasticity (rs = -0.83; p = 0.02), and positively to tendon elongation (rs = 0.74; p = 0.05) during the early phase of healing. There was a trend towards positive correlation between MMP-7 and cross-sectional area during the early phase of healing (rs = 0.67; p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a history of Achilles tendon rupture appear to have elevated levels of MMP-2, MMP-7 and TIMP-2 in serum. These pilot data support the view that the MMP-TIMP system is involved in tendinopathy and suggest that disturbances in proteolytic control might be generalised.
Abstract: Tendons can function as springs and thereby preserve energy during cyclic loading. They might also have damping properties, which, hypothetically, could reduce risk of microinjuries due to fatigue at sites of local stress concentration within the tendon. At mechanical testing, damping will appear as hysteresis. How is damping influenced by training or disuse? Does training decrease hysteresis, thereby making the tendon a better spring, or increase hysteresis and thus improve damping? Seventy-eight female 10-wk-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to three groups. Two groups had botulinum toxin injected into the calf muscles to unload the left Achilles tendon through muscle paralysis. One of these groups was given doxycycline, as a systemic matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor. The third group served as loaded controls. The Achilles tendons were harvested after 1 or 6 wk for biomechanical testing. An increase with time was seen in tendon dry weight, wet weight, water content, transverse area, length, stiffness, force at failure, and energy uptake in all three groups (P < 0.001 for each parameter). Disuse had no effect on these parameters. Creep was decreased with time in all groups. The only significant effect of disuse was on hysteresis (P = 0.004) and creep (P = 0.007), which both decreased with disuse compared with control, and on modulus, which was increased (P = 0.008). Normalized glycosaminoglycan content was unaffected by time and disuse. No effect of doxycycline was observed. The results suggest that in growing animals, the tendons continue to grow regardless of mechanical loading history, whereas maintenance of damping properties requires mechanical stimulation.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is evidence of high matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity around sutures inserted into tendons. This probably results in tissue breakdown, allowing the suture to cut through the tendon, and thus contributes to repair-site elongation and gap formation. We therefore hypothesized that treatment with the MMP inhibitor doxycycline would improve the sutureholding capacity of tendon. ANIMALS, METHODS AND RESULTS: In the first sub-study, rats received a suture in the Achilles tendon. One group was treated with systemic doxycycline and the other received no treatment. At 3, 5, and 7 days, suture-holding capacity was measured mechanically. The pull-out force and energy were reduced in all tendons, at 3 days compared to freshly inserted sutures, but no further reduction was detected at later time points. Doxycycline- treated tendons showed improved suture-holding capacity as measured by higher energy uptake than in untreated tendons. Force at failure showed a trend towards improvement. The effect was most evident on day 3. In the second sub-study, sutures were coated with doxycycline. At 3 days, local doxycycline treatment caused improved suture-holding capacity -- as measured by higher force at failure and higher energy uptake. INTERPRETATION: We provide proof of a novel treatment principle. MMP inhibitor-coated sutures improve suture-holding capacity during early repair of collagenous tissues.
Abstract: Doxycycline exhibits various effects apart from its antimicrobial activity, such as inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs, mainly collagenases and gelatinases, are capable of degrading virtually all constituents of the extracellular matrix and are critical to connective tissue remodelling and healing. We therefore hypothesised that doxycycline would negatively influence the rat tendon healing process and impede tendon regeneration. The Achilles tendon of 60 Sprague Dawley rats was transected transversely. The animals were treated with doxycycline, 130 mg/kg body weight/day. The healing tendons were evaluated mechanically at 5, 8 and 14 days. Doxycycline significantly decreased force at failure (p < 0.005) and energy uptake (p < 0.001). Doxycycline serum concentration was 3.4 (SD 1.0) microg/ml. In conclusion, tendon healing can be affected by doxycycline at clinically relevant serum concentrations. This observation might be of relevance to further studies exploring effects of MMP-inhibitors on tendon tissue.
