Deficiency of macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene delays healing of the damaged tendon matrix: A biomechanical and biological study

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25462319
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Onodera Jun 北海道大学, 大学病院, 助教 (90374511)
• Research Collaborator: HOSAKA Midori 北海道大学, 医学研究科, 実験助手
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 運動器外傷学 / 腱損傷

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The role played by macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the process of wound healing is controversial. In this study, we hypothesized that the deficiency in MIF gene might delay tendon injury and bone-tendon healing in mice. Biomechanical testing showed that the structural properties were significantly lower in MIF gene-deficient mice (MIFKO) than in wild-type mice (WT). Histologically, healing tissues in MIFKO exhibited prolonged hypertrophy, poor vascularity, and prolonged increase in cell number compared with those in WT and low healing rate between grafted tendon and bone. Levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 mRNA in the healing tissue were significantly lower in MIFKO than in WT at 3 weeks after injury.
Taken together, it was suggested that MIFKO exhibited delayed healing of the tendon and the bone-grafted tendon junction.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学