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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy
Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 4/2007

01-04-2007 | Experimental Study

Reproductive hormone effects on strength of the rat anterior cruciate ligament

Authors: Emma Woodhouse, Gregory A. Schmale, Peter Simonian, Allan Tencer, Phillipe Huber, Kristy Seidel

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 4/2007

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Abstract

The material properties of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in female rats with normal estrous cycles were compared to those regulated by oral contraceptive steroids. Forty female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into two groups: an experimental group received daily ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel in a dosing model designed to simulate a typical oral contraception regime in humans, while a control group received daily oral placebo. After eight cycles, six rats from each group underwent daily phlebotomy to measure serum estradiol and progesterone levels over the course of a single 5-day estrous cycle. Significant differences between groups were found for the area under the curve of blood progesterone levels versus time over the length of the estrous cycle (P = 0.02). After 12 cycles, the rats were euthanized and one femur-ACL-tibia complex from each animal was dynamically loaded to failure. The ACLs from the rats in the experimental group had significantly decreased average and tangent stiffness, (P = 0.002 and 0.0001, respectively), and significantly increased elongation (P = 0.002) and total energy absorbed (P = 0.03), or greater toughness than controls. In rats, it appears that the administration of reproductive hormones designed to simulate typical oral contraception in humans alters the mechanical properties of the rat ACL.
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Metadata
Title
Reproductive hormone effects on strength of the rat anterior cruciate ligament
Authors
Emma Woodhouse
Gregory A. Schmale
Peter Simonian
Allan Tencer
Phillipe Huber
Kristy Seidel
Publication date
01-04-2007
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 4/2007
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-006-0237-0

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