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Distribution of Lubricin in the Ruptured Human Rotator Cuff and Biceps Tendon: A Pilot Study

  • Basic Research
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

Lubricin is a lubricant for diarthrodial joint tissues and has antiadhesion properties; its presence in the (caprine) rotator cuff suggests it may have a role in intrafascicular lubrication.

Questions/Purposes

To preliminarily address this role, we asked: (1) What is the distribution of lubricin in human ruptured supraspinatus and biceps tendons? (2) What are the potential cellular sources of lubricin?

Methods

We obtained seven torn rotator cuff samples and four torn biceps tendon samples from 10 patients; as control tissues, we obtained the right and left supraspinatus tendons from each of six cadavers. Specimens were fixed in formalin and processed for immunohistochemical evaluation using a monoclonal antibody for lubricin.

Results

We found lubricin as a discrete layer on the torn edges of all of the ruptured supraspinatus and biceps tendon samples. None of the transected edges of the tissues produced during excision of the tissues showed the presence of lubricin. Lubricin was found in 3% to 10% of the tendon cells in the cadaveric controls and in 1% to 29% of the tendon cells in the torn supraspinatus and biceps tendon samples.

Clinical Relevance

The lubricin layer on the torn edges of ruptured human supraspinatus and biceps tendons may interfere with the integrative bonding of the torn edges necessary for repair.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Tadanao Funakoshi MD, PhD, Scott D. Martin MD & Myron Spector PhD

  2. Tissue Engineering, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S Huntington Avenue, MS 151, Boston, MA, 02130, USA

    Tadanao Funakoshi MD, PhD & Myron Spector PhD

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan

    Tadanao Funakoshi MD, PhD

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Thomas M. Schmid PhD

Authors
  1. Tadanao Funakoshi MD, PhD
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  2. Scott D. Martin MD
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  3. Thomas M. Schmid PhD
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  4. Myron Spector PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Myron Spector PhD.

Additional information

This material is based on work supported by the Office of Research and Development, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs (MS). MS is a VA Research Career Scientist.

The research-related use of excess human material/tissue and related health/medical information was approved by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Institutional Review Board Protocol Number 2007-P-000924/1; BWH.

This work was performed at the VA Boston Healthcare System and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

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Funakoshi, T., Martin, S.D., Schmid, T.M. et al. Distribution of Lubricin in the Ruptured Human Rotator Cuff and Biceps Tendon: A Pilot Study. Clin Orthop Relat Res 468, 1588–1599 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1108-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1108-z

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