Quantitation of chondroitin-sulfates, disaccharides and hyaluronan in normal, early and advanced osteoarthritic sheep temporomandibular joints

Objective: To determine the relationship between synovial fluid, chondroitin sulfate disaccharide and hyaluronic acid to differing degrees of experimental temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA). Design: Twenty-four merino sheep were divided into three groups and had different TMJ surgical procedures to produce OA. Group I; control (six sheep), Group II; disc perforation (nine sheep) and Group Ill, disc perforation and articular damage (nine sheep). Synovial fluid was collected initially and at sacrifice at 3 months. Chondroitin 4-sulfate, chondroitin B-sulfate and hyaluronic acid were measured and correlated to the OA histologic score. Results: The chondroitin-sulfate levels were significantly increased (Group I to Group II P<0.001; Group I to Group III P<0.001), the hyaluronic acid levels decreased (Group I to Group II P<0.01; Group I to Group III P<0.01) with the increasing OA score. Conclusion: Chondroitin-sulfate and hyaluronic acid show a correlation with surgically created TMJ osteoarthritis in sheep model. (C) 2001 OsteoArthritis Research Society International.