HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

 

Review

Impact of the complement cascade on posttraumatic cartilage inflammation and degradation

T. John1, P.F. Stahel2, S.J. Morgan2 and G. Schulze-Tanzil1,3

1Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Charité University Medical School, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany, 2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, USA and 3Department of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Center of Anatomy, Charité University Medical School, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.

Offprint requests to: Thilo John, MD, Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Charité University Medical School, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. e-mail: thilo.john@charite.de


Summary. The limited ability of articular cartilage to recover from injury, remains an unsolved clinical challenge in orthopaedic surgery. Persistent injury of the articular surface can lead to the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis. The local inflammatory response contributes to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis by inducing chondrocyte apoptosis and the de-regulation of chondrocyte matrix remodelling. The role of the complement system in contributing to secondary inflammation-mediated cartilage degradation represents a newer field of investigation. The purpose of this review article is to summarize the known complement-mediated actions in cartilage homeostasis and injury. This article focuses on the known effects of complement on secondary chondrocyte apoptosis, and the interplay of the complement system with pro-inflammatory cytokines. Pharmacological therapies related to complement inhibition will be discussed as they potentially represent a new avenue for attenuating the effect of the complement system on cartilage repair. Histol Histopathol 22, 781-790 (2007)

Key words: Chondrocyte, Complement, Cartilage injury, Apoptosis, Cytokines

DOI: 10.14670/HH-22.781