H. De Rooster et al., Prevalence and relevance of antibodies to type-I and -II collagen in synovial fluid of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament damage, AM J VET RE, 61(11), 2000, pp. 1456-1461
Objective-To measure and compare synovial fluid antibody titers to type-I a
nd -II collagen in stifle joints with instability caused by complete or par
tial cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture and joints with osteoarthrosis
secondary to other pathologic changes in dogs.
Animais-82 dogs with diseased stifle joints.
Procedure-Synovial fluid samples were collected from 7 dogs with clinically
normal stifles (control group) and 82 dogs with diseased joints (50 stifle
joints with complete rupture of the CCL, 20 with partial damage of the CCL
, and 12 joints with radiographic signs of osteoarthritis secondary to othe
r arthropathies). Synovial fluid samples were tested for autoantibodies to
type-I and -II collagen by an ELlSA.
Results-In dogs with complete and partial CCL rupture, synovial fluid antib
ody titers to type-I and -II collagen were significantly increased, compare
d with control dogs. Forty-eight percent (24/50) of samples from dogs with
complete CCL rupture and 35% (7/20) of samples from dogs with partial CCL r
upture had antibody titers to type-I collagen that were greater than the me
an plus 2 standard deviations of the control group titers. Synovial fluid a
ntibody titers to type-II collagen were high in 40% of the dogs with partia
l or (8/20) complete (20/50) CCL rupture. Dogs with osteoarthrosis secondar
y to other pathologic changes had significantly increased synovial fluid an
tibodies to type-I and -II collagen, compared with control dogs.
Conclusion-Increases in autoantibodies to collagen in synovial fluid are no
t specific for the type of joint disorder. It is unlikely that the anticoll
agen antibodies play an active role in the initiation of weakening of the C
CL.