Paper #156 The effects of bone morphogenetic proteins 13 on human patellar tendon fibroblasts

Abstract

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a family of proteins that can induce bone and cartilage formation during embryogenesis and tissue repair. Human recombinant (hr) BMP13 has been recently cloned and proved to promote the formation of tendon and ligament tissues in in vivo experiments. But the roles of BMP13 on tissue regeneration in tendons remain unexamined. In the present study, human patellar tendon samples were collected for histological examination and preparation of tendon fibroblast culture. Immunohistochemical staining showed that BMP12 was detected on healthy patellar tendon samples, chiefly located on active tenoblasts and perivascular mesenchymal cells, with a similar distribution as proliferation cell nuclear antigens (PCNA), pro-collagen I and decorin. In vitro studies on tendon fibroblast culture showed that hrBMP13 could increase cell proliferation and the gene expression of pro-collagen I and biglycan, but the gene expression of decorin was not affected. Our findings suggest that BMP13 may play a role in tendon healing. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a family of proteins that can induce bone and cartilage formation during embryogenesis and tissue repair. Human recombinant (hr) BMP13 has been recently cloned and proved to promote the formation of tendon and ligament tissues in in vivo experiments. But the roles of BMP13 on tissue regeneration in tendons remain unexamined. In the present study, human patellar tendon samples were collected for histological examination and preparation of tendon fibroblast culture. Immunohistochemical staining showed that BMP12 was detected on healthy patellar tendon samples, chiefly located on active tenoblasts and perivascular mesenchymal cells, with a similar distribution as proliferation cell nuclear antigens (PCNA), pro-collagen I and decorin. In vitro studies on tendon fibroblast culture showed that hrBMP13 could increase cell proliferation and the gene expression of pro-collagen I and biglycan, but the gene expression of decorin was not affected. Our findings suggest that BMP13 may play a role in tendon healing.