Comparison of Cellular Responses to TGF-β1 and BMP-2 Between Healthy and Torn Tendons

Background: Tendons heal by fibrotic repair, increasing the likelihood of reinjury. Animal tendon injury and overuse models have identified transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) as factors actively involved in development fibrosis, mediating extracellular matrix synthesis cell differentiation. Purpose: To understand how TGF-β BMPs contribute to processes using tendon-derived cells isolated from healthy diseased human tendons. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Tendon-derived were patients with a chronic rotator cuff tear (large massive, diseased) hamstring tendons undergoing anterior cruciate ligament repair. Isolated incubated TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL) or BMP-2 (100 for 3 days. Gene expression was measured real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell signaling pathway activation determined Western blotting. Results: treatment induced ACAN mRNA both types but less compared ( P < .05). BGN not .01). In cells, increased ACTA2 .01) small mothers against decapentaplegic (SMAD) .05) those cells. Moreover, only Conclusion: Diseased tendon–derived show reduced proteoglycans aggrecan biglycan response treatments. These same treatments enhanced differentiation canonical SMAD Clinical Relevance: Findings this study suggest that respond differently than presence BMP-2. The altered responses may influence repair during healing.