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Low Levels of Vitamin D have a Deleterious Effect on the Articular Cartilage in a Rat Model

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HSS Journal ®

Abstract

Background

Vitamin D appears to play an important role in bone and cartilage metabolism since its receptors are widely found in human articular chondrocytes. Thus, effects of variation of vitamin D may directly impact cartilage and bone biology.

Questions/Purposes

The aims of this study are to compare (1) articular cartilage structure and composition and (2) trabecular and cortical bone microstructure in rats with normal versus insufficient vitamin D levels.

Methods

Twenty-five mature, male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to two groups: (1) control arm (vitamin D replete—12 rats) and (2) an experimental arm (vitamin D deficient—13 rats). Vitamin D deficiency was induced using a vitamin D-deficient diet and UV light restriction. Rats were sacrificed after 4 weeks vitamin D deficiency was confirmed. The right knee was harvested for analysis of both the medial (MFC) and lateral femoral condyles (LFC). A region of interest was established on both condyles to correlate subchondral bone architecture and the overlying cartilage. Histological analysis was performed and graded using the modified Mankin score. Subchondral and cortical bony architecture was evaluated with micro-CT.

Results

After 4 weeks, the vitamin D-deficient group had statistically significant changes in cartilage structure in both the MFC and LFC [1.55 ± 0.6 vs. 4.23 ± 4.1 (p = 0.035) and 1.55 ± 0.6 vs. 3.53 ± 2.4 (p = 0.009), respectively]. Micro-CT analysis revealed no correlation between subchondral bone values and the overlying cartilage Mankin score (p = 0.460). No significant difference was evident between the subchondral bone of the control and study group.

Conclusions

Low levels of vitamin D have a deleterious effect on the cartilage.

Given the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the general population, these findings raise important questions about the potential role of vitamin D in articular cartilage health.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank Liang Yang for her technical assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hip Preservation Center, Department of Orthopedics, University of Colorado, 2000 South Colorado Blvd. Colorado Center Tower One, 4500, Denver, CO, 80222, USA

    Cecilia Pascual-Garrido MD

  2. Mercy Health System, Janesville, WI, USA

    Michael E. Angeline MD

  3. Missouri Orthopedic Institute, University of Missouri Healthcare, Columbia, MO, USA

    Richard Ma MD

  4. Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Vail, CO, USA

    Jorge Chahla MD

  5. Orthopedics Department, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY, USA

    Cliff Voigt MD

  6. Laboratory for Soft Tissue Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA

    Xiang Hua Deng MD

  7. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA

    Joseph Nguyen MPH

  8. Laboratory for Soft Tissue Research and Department of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA

    Russell F. Warren MD & Scott A. Rodeo MD

Authors
  1. Cecilia Pascual-Garrido MD
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  2. Michael E. Angeline MD
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  3. Richard Ma MD
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Correspondence to Cecilia Pascual-Garrido MD.

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Conflict of Interest

Michael E. Angeline, MD; Jorge Chahla, MD; Xiang Hua Deng, MD; Cecilia Pascual-Garrido, MD; Cliff Voigt, MD; Richard Ma, MD; Joseph Nguyen, MPH; and Russell F. Warren, MD have declared that they have no conflict of interest. Scott A. Rodeo, MD reports personal fees and other from Rotation Medical and personal fees from Cayenne Medical, outside the work.

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All institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.

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Additional information

Investigation performed at the Laboratory for Soft Tissue Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.

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Pascual-Garrido, C., Angeline, M.E., Ma, R. et al. Low Levels of Vitamin D have a Deleterious Effect on the Articular Cartilage in a Rat Model. HSS Jrnl 12, 150–157 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11420-016-9492-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11420-016-9492-x

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