Severe cartilage degeneration in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a developmental disorder that has long‐term chronic pain and limited hip joint mobility as major pathological characteristics. This study aims to access the association between the development of DDH and cartilage metabolic disorders. Cartilage tissue samples were acquired from patients with DDH, osteoarthritis (OA) and femoral neck fracture. The proteoglycan level was evaluated by safranin O‐fast green, toluidine blue and hematoxylin‐eosin (HE) staining. The levels of collagen‐II (Col‐II), collagen‐X (Col‐X) and metal matrix proteinase‐13 (MMP‐13) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting analysis. The morphologic evaluation of cartilage was conducted by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was performed to detect the mRNA level of aggrecan, Col‐II, Col‐X and MMP‐13. The aggrecan level in the cartilage matrix was significantly decreased in DDH patients by safranin O‐fast green and toluidine blue staining in comparison with that in the OA and control groups. In contrast with the OA group, the Col‐II expression was reduced while the MMP‐13 expression increased in DDH patients, as shown by IHC and Western blotting analysis. The collagenous fibrils in cartilage of DDH patients appeared significantly sparse and disordered in the TEM analysis. In DDH patients, the mRNA expression levels of Col‐II and aggrecan were markedly reduced, while the mRNA expression of Col‐X was markedly increased, compared with the OA patients. There is severe articular cartilage degeneration in DDH patients. This observation provides us with new insight into cartilage metabolic regulation in DDH. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(3):179–187, 2017