Elucidating the involvement of Scleraxis-positive progenitors during rotator cuff tendon-bone healing after acute injury in mice

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20062
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: TOKUNAGA Takuya 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (60759520)
• Research Collaborator: IDEO Katsumasa 熊本大学, 大学院医学教育部, 大学院生 ; YONEMITSU Ryuji 熊本大学, 大学院医学教育部, 大学院生 ; SHUKUNAMI Chisa 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究院(歯), 教授 (60303905) ; HIRAKI Yuji 京都大学ウイルス, 再生医科学研究所, 教授 (40144498)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: Scleraxis / Sox9 / 腱板 / enthesis / tendon-bone healing / progenitor

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying the healing process after rotator cuff (RC) tendon-bone site (enthesis) injury is critical to establish effective repair promotion after surgical RC repair. Recently, it was reported that a specific multipotent Scleraxis (Scx)-positive progenitors with a history of expressing Sox9, which gives rise to tenocytes and chondrocytes, contribute to enthesis development. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the involvement of Scx+ and Scx+/Sox9+ cells in a healing model of supraspinatus tendon enthesis following injury in mature ScxGFP transgenic mice. We showed that small numbers of Scx+ and Scx+/Sox9+ cells transiently emerged at the repair site, but failed to regenerate native fibrocartilaginous enthesis. Our findings suggest that a healing mechanism mediated by enthesis-related progenitors may be potentially equipped in adult mice, although it appears to be limited.

Free Research Field

整形外科