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Extracorporeal shock wave therapy promotes cell proliferation and collagen synthesis of primary cultured human tenocytes

  • Experimental Study
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) could affect the behavior of primary cultured human tenocytes over a 12-day period.

Methods

In this controlled laboratory study, primary human tenocytes were established from semitendinosus tendons collected from 3 patients undergoing arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Cell viability, overall cell morphology, cell proliferation, and collagen synthesis following ESWT have been evaluated.

Results

ESWT significantly interferes with the overall cell morphology, by impairing dedifferentiation of the cells. Furthermore, a shock wave-mediated growth-promoting effect was measured by the MTT (tetrazolium) colorimetric assay and by the proliferation marker Ki67. Lastly, a significant increase in collagen (mainly type I) synthesis by ESWT-tenocytes compared with control cells was found.

Conclusions

Shock wave treatment promoted cell growth and collagen synthesis of primary cultured human tenocytes. The clinical benefits of ESWT may be ascribed to an increased efficiency of tendon repair after injury.

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Conflict of interest

All authors certify they not have signed any agreement with a commercial interest related to this study, and they declare no conflict of interest related to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, Rome, Italy

    Mario Vetrano & Maria Chiara Vulpiani

  2. Cellular Diagnostic Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, Rome, Italy

    Federica d’Alessandro, Maria Rosaria Torrisi & Vincenzo Visco

  3. Orthopaedic Unit and Kirk Kilgour Sports Injury Centre, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Ferretti

Authors
  1. Mario Vetrano
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  2. Federica d’Alessandro
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  3. Maria Rosaria Torrisi
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  4. Andrea Ferretti
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  5. Maria Chiara Vulpiani
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  6. Vincenzo Visco
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vincenzo Visco.

Additional information

Mario Vetrano and Federica d’Alessandro equally contributed to this work.

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Vetrano, M., d’Alessandro, F., Torrisi, M.R. et al. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy promotes cell proliferation and collagen synthesis of primary cultured human tenocytes. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 19, 2159–2168 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1534-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1534-9

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