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. 2012 Dec 15;7(35):2801-10.
doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.35.008.

Active Achilles tendon kinesitherapy accelerates Achilles tendon repair by promoting neurite regeneration

Affiliations

Active Achilles tendon kinesitherapy accelerates Achilles tendon repair by promoting neurite regeneration

Jiasharete Jielile et al. Neural Regen Res. .

Abstract

Active Achilles tendon kinesitherapy facilitates the functional recovery of a ruptured Achilles tendon. However, protein expression during the healing process remains a controversial issue. New Zealand rabbits, aged 14 weeks, underwent tenotomy followed immediately by Achilles tendon microsurgery to repair the Achilles tendon rupture. The tendon was then immobilized or subjected to postoperative early motion treatment (kinesitherapy). Mass spectrography results showed that after 14 days of motion treatment, 18 protein spots were differentially expressed, among which, 12 were up-regulated, consisting of gelsolin isoform b and neurite growth-related protein collapsing response mediator protein 2. Western blot analysis showed that gelsolin isoform b was up-regulated at days 7-21 of motion treatment. These findings suggest that active Achilles tendon kinesitherapy promotes the neurite regeneration of a ruptured Achilles tendon and gelsolin isoform b can be used as a biomarker for Achilles tendon healing after kinesitherapy.

Keywords: Achilles tendon; achilles tendon rupture; early; exercise; functional exercise; healing; marker; motion; proteomics; tissue repair.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Two-dimensional electrophoresis maps (A and B) of proteins from Achilles tendon samples of rabbits in different groups at 14 days following Achilles tendon microsurgery. Enlarged two-dimensional gels (C and D) reveal differentially expressed protein spots of 5710 in Achilles tendon samples of rabbits in immobilization (A, C) and early motion (B, D) groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Identification of peptide 5710 in Achilles tendon samples of rabbits in the early motion group using peptide mass fingerprinting (A) and mass spectrometry sequence analysis (B). The peptide was identified as gelsolin isoform b.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Western blot analysis of gelsolin proteins in three different groups at postoperative 21 days. Gelsolin isoform b was further validated through western blot analysis. N: Normal control group; I: immobilization group; M: early motion group.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Gelsolin isoform b protein expression levels in the immobilization and early motion groups at days 3, 7, 14 and 21 after tenotomy, and in the normal control group (0 day's sample). In the immobilization group, there was a significant difference between samples obtained at days 7 and 21 (P < 0.01), but not between those obtained at days 3 and 14. In the early motion group, there were significant differences between the samples obtained at day 3 and those obtained at days 7, 14 and 21 (P < 0.01), but not between the samples obtained at days 7, 14 and 21 (P > 0.05). Student's t-test was used. I: Immobilization group; M: early motion group.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Postoperative cast immobilization (A) or postoperative early motion treatment (B) following Achilles tendon microsurgery.

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