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Cytokines in tendon disease - A systematic review

Abstract:

Objectives

Emerging evidence indicates that tendon disease is an active process with inflammation that is critical to disease onset and progression. However, the key cytokines responsible for driving and sustaining inflammation have not been identified.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of the literature using MEDLINE (U.S. National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland) in March 2017. Studies reporting the expression of interleukins (ILs), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma in diseased human tendon tissues, and animal models of tendon injury or exercise in comparison with healthy control tissues were included.

Results

IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α are the cytokines that have been most frequently investigated. In clinical samples of tendinopathy and tendon tears, the expression of TNF-α tended not to change but IL-6 increased in tears. Healthy human tendons showed increased IL-6 expression after exercise; however, IL-10 remained unchanged. Animal tendon injury models showed that IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α tend to increase from the early phase of tendon healing. In animal exercise studies, IL-1β expression showed a tendency to increase at the early stage after exercise, but IL-10 expression remained unchanged with exercise.

Conclusions

This review highlights the roles of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α in the development of tendon disease, during tendon healing, and in response to exercise. However, there is evidence accumulating that suggests that other cytokines are also contributing to tendon inflammatory processes. Further work with hypothesis-free methods is warranted in order to identify the key cytokines, with subsequent mechanistic and interaction studies to elucidate their roles in tendon disease development.

Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1302/2046-3758.612.BJR-2017-0112.R1

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
Medical Sciences Division
Department:
NDORMS
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
Medical Sciences Division
Department:
NDORMS
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
NDORMS
Oxford college:
Keble College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-7052-3793
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
Medical Sciences Division
Department:
NDORMS
Sub department:
Botnar Research Centre
Oxford college:
Worcester College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-5940-1464


Publisher:
British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery
Journal:
Bone and Joint Research More from this journal
Volume:
6
Issue:
12
Pages:
656-664
Publication date:
2017-12-04
Acceptance date:
2017-08-21
DOI:
EISSN:
2046-3758
Pmid:
29203638


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:810954
UUID:
uuid:137b6db4-92ce-4195-80ff-3bff02eb2fed
Local pid:
pubs:810954
Source identifiers:
810954
Deposit date:
2018-09-17

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