Knee Surg Relat Res.  2020 Mar;32(1):e5. 10.1186/s43019-019-0024-0.

The effect of interleukin-8 in the early stage after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with remnant preservation

• Kim KO
• Sim JA
• Choi JU
• Lee BK
• Park HG

• KMID: 2506224
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s43019-019-0024-0

Abstract

Purpose
We studied the effect of interleukin-8 (IL-8) as the factor for angiogenesis in the joint fluid of remnantpreserved anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (RP-ACLR).
Materials and methods
We measured 12 cytokines in joint fluid by multiplex assay and assessed the relationship between IL-8 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations. The signal intensity and mean sagittal diameter via postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were evaluated and the stress X-ray image was analyzed at 3, 6, and 12 months after operation.
Results
The IL-8 concentration was highest 3 months postoperatively in those patients who underwent RP-ACLR. Clinical data also showed that the signal intensity and stress radiography of the knee graft were significantly better at the early postoperative stage. Discussion: Our results show that IL-8 plays an important role in angiogenesis within 3 months after RP-ACLR. This effect yields better recovery after operation. RP-ACLR patients with high knee stability in clinical data were identical to those with high expression of IL-8 in experimental data. Therefore, IL-8 has been shown to help revascularization and ligamentization of the grafted tendon. These results indicate that IL-8 in RP-ACLR is an important factor for angiogenesis after operation. Unfortunately, the relationship of IL-8 and VEGF in vivo has not been studied.
Conclusion
Our results showed that the IL-8 concentration was very high within 3 months after RP-ACLR operation. The increase in concentration of IL-8 over time was consistent with the increase in VEGF concentration. In the IL-8 clinical setting, MRI analysis showed that ACL synovialization and tension were better in patients who underwent the remnant preservation method. In addition, it was shown that RP-ACLR may be advantageous for early anterior stability within 1 year post operation and beneficial for tendon graft in the early stage post operation. Taken together, our findings suggest that IL-8 may contribute to angiogenesis which is helpful for revascularization and ligamentization of the graft tendon in the early stages of RP-ACLR.

Keyword

Interleukin-8; Angiogenesis; Joint fluid; Remnant preservation; Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction