From Pathophysiology to Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Musculoskeletal System 2.0

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 9413

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Guest Editor
Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80701, Taiwan
Interests: osteoporosis; bone and cartilage; EGCG catechin; osteoarthritis; stem cell; development/degeneration of spine
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to announce a Special Issue of Biomedicines on the topic of “From Pathophysiology to Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Musculoskeletal System”. In recent years, there has been significant improvement in the research on the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, muscles, and the spine. As people age more due to continuous advancements in medicine, the incidence of disease in the musculoskeletal system becomes higher and higher. Studies on counteracting emergent musculoskeletal-related challenges can provide us clues to help manage this situation. This Special Issue will publish submissions from all areas related to clinical and basic research on the musculoskeletal system. Studies on bones, joints, muscles, and the spine are welcomed, but research is not restricted to these fields. Moreover, studies can range from development to physiology, pathology, and emerging and current treatments. This Special Issue intends to provide a platform to include all related research to explore unsolved problems in future collaborations. We look forward to hearing from you and receiving your contribution to this Special Issue.

Dr. Chung-Hwan Chen
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2120 KiB  
Article
Whole Genome Expression Profiling of Semitendinosus Tendons from Children with Diplegic and Tetraplegic Cerebral Palsy
by Simona Nemska, Simone Serio, Veronica Larcher, Giulia Beltrame, Nicola Marcello Portinaro and Marie-Louise Bang
Biomedicines 2023, 11(11), 2918; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11112918 - 28 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1396
Abstract
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common movement disorder in children, with a prevalence ranging from 1.5 to 4 per 1000 live births. CP is caused by a non-progressive lesion of the developing brain, leading to progressive alterations of the musculoskeletal system, including [...] Read more.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common movement disorder in children, with a prevalence ranging from 1.5 to 4 per 1000 live births. CP is caused by a non-progressive lesion of the developing brain, leading to progressive alterations of the musculoskeletal system, including spasticity, often leading to the development of fixed contractures, necessitating tendon lengthening surgery. Total RNA-sequencing analysis was performed on semitendinosus tendons from diplegic and tetraplegic CP patients subjected to tendon lengthening surgery compared to control patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery. Tetraplegic CP patients showed increased expression of genes implicated in collagen synthesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover, while only minor changes were observed in diplegic CP patients. In addition, tendons from tetraplegic CP patients showed an enrichment for upregulated genes involved in vesicle-mediated transport and downregulated genes involved in cytokine and apoptotic signaling. Overall, our results indicate increased ECM turnover with increased net synthesis of collagen in tetraplegic CP patients without activation of inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, similar to observations in athletes where ECM remodeling results in increased tendon stiffness and tensile strength. Nevertheless, the resulting increased tendon stiffness is an important issue in clinical practice, where surgery is often required to restore joint mobility. Full article
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22 pages, 5842 KiB  
Article
Metformin Protects Rat Skeletal Muscle from Physical Exercise-Induced Injury
by Giuliana Abbadessa, Eleonora Maniscalco, Loredana Grasso, Jasmin Popara, Federica Di Scipio, Francesco Franco, Daniele Mancardi, Fabio Pigozzi, Paolo Borrione, Giovanni Nicolao Berta and Silvia Racca
Biomedicines 2023, 11(9), 2334; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11092334 - 22 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1886
Abstract
Metformin (Met) is a drug commonly prescribed in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Its efficacy is due to the suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis, enhancement of peripheral glucose uptake and lower glucose absorption by the intestine. Recent studies have reported Met efficacy in other clinical [...] Read more.
Metformin (Met) is a drug commonly prescribed in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Its efficacy is due to the suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis, enhancement of peripheral glucose uptake and lower glucose absorption by the intestine. Recent studies have reported Met efficacy in other clinical applications, such as age-related diseases. Despite the wide clinical use of Met, its mechanism of action on muscle and its effect on muscle performance are unclear. We investigated the effects of Met combined with training on physical performance (PP) in healthy rats receiving Met for 8 weeks while undergoing daily moderate exercise. We evaluated the following: PP through graded endurance exercise test performed before the beginning of the training protocol and 48 h before the end of the training period; blood ALT, AST, LDH and CK–MB levels in order to address muscle damage; and several blood and muscle myokines and the expression of factors believed to be involved in muscle adaptation to exercise. Our data demonstrate that Met does not improve the positive effects of exercise on performance, although it protects myocytes from exercise-induced damage. Moreover, given that Met positively affects exercise-induced muscle adaptation, our data support the idea of the therapeutic application of Met when muscle function and structure are compromised. Full article
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13 pages, 754 KiB  
Article
Activation Capacity of the Intrinsic Musculature of the Foot in Handball Athletes with Chronic Ankle Instability
by Daniel García-García, Rocío Llamas-Ramos, César Calvo-Lobo, David Rodríguez-Sanz, Marta San Antolín-Gil, Juan Luis Cabanillas-García, Mari Cruz Sánchez-Gómez and Inés Llamas-Ramos
Biomedicines 2023, 11(8), 2115; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11082115 - 27 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1596
Abstract
Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a common pathology in handball. The role of the intrinsic musculature of the foot in these players in relation to proprioception and stability has not been stablished. The objective of this study was to compare the ultrasound morphology [...] Read more.
Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a common pathology in handball. The role of the intrinsic musculature of the foot in these players in relation to proprioception and stability has not been stablished. The objective of this study was to compare the ultrasound morphology of the heel fat pad of the foot in professional handball players to CAI in healthy players and establish relationships between CAI and physical and psychological variables. The study has been a descriptive observational case–control study in which 20 professional handball male players over 18 years of age were divided into 8 cases (CAI) and 12 controls (healthy). An ultrasound evaluation, the thickness and/or cross-sectional area at rest and the contraction measurement of the Abductor Digiti Minimi, Abductor Hallucis, Flexor Digitorum Brevis and Quadratus Plantae muscles were analyzed. Moreover, the compressibility index of the heel fat pad and the activation of the abdominal wall musculature (ultrasound), the flexion strength of the hallux and lesser toes (dynamometry), the foot functionality (Bristol Foot Score (BFS) questionnaire) and the psychological variables (self-reported questionnaires) were measured. There were no significant differences between the activation capacity values of the foot muscles of healthy and CAI athletes. Significant differences were found between groups regarding the BFS score (p = 0.007), d = 1.404), and significant correlations were also found between hallux flexion strength and lesser toes flexion strength in the total sample. Although there were no differences between the two groups, the identification of the activation pattern of these muscles in handball athletes is essential to the improvement of performance and preventing injuries such as CAI. Full article
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13 pages, 1137 KiB  
Article
A Cross-Sectional Study Investigating Lumbar Proprioception Impairments in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Correlations with Glycated Hemoglobin Levels
by Mohammad A. ALMohiza, Ravi Shankar Reddy, Batool Abdulelah Alkhamis, Nabeel Hamdan Alghamdi, Adel Alshahrani, Bhaskar Reddy Ponneru and Debjani Mukherjee
Biomedicines 2023, 11(7), 2068; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11072068 - 23 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2185
Abstract
Impaired proprioception is a recognized complication in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), contributing to balance deficits and increased risk of falls. However, limited research has focused on lumbar proprioception in this population. This study aimed to investigate lumbar proprioception in individuals [...] Read more.
Impaired proprioception is a recognized complication in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), contributing to balance deficits and increased risk of falls. However, limited research has focused on lumbar proprioception in this population. This study aimed to investigate lumbar proprioception in individuals with T2DM, as well as healthy individuals. Additionally, this study aimed to examine the correlation between lumbar proprioception and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, which is a marker of long-term glycemic control in T2DM. A cross-sectional study was conducted, comparing lumbar joint reposition errors (JRE) between a T2DM group (n = 85) and a healthy group (n = 85). Lumbar JRE was assessed in flexion, extension, lateral bending left, and lateral bending right using a dual inclinometer device. HbA1c levels were measured as an indicator of glycemic control. Significant differences in lumbar JRE were found between the T2DM and healthy groups, with individuals with T2DM exhibiting larger JRE values, indicating impaired lumbar proprioception (p < 0.001). The correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between HbA1c levels and lumbar JRE. Higher HbA1c levels were correlated with greater joint JRE in flexion (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), extension (r = 0.51, p < 0.001), left lateral bending (r = 0.45, p < 0.001), and right lateral bending (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) in the T2DM group. This study provides evidence of impaired lumbar proprioception in individuals with T2DM, as evidenced by larger lumbar JRE compared to the healthy group. Full article
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15 pages, 4421 KiB  
Article
The Transverse Mechanical Axis of the Pelvis for Post-Operative Evaluation of Total Hip Arthroplasty
by Cheng-Jui Tsai, Zong-Yan Yang, Tai-Yin Wu, Ya-Ting Tsai, Juyn-Jhe Wang and Chen-Kun Liaw
Biomedicines 2023, 11(5), 1397; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11051397 - 8 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1849
Abstract
Currently, orthopedic surgeons mainly use the inter-teardrop line (IT-line) as the transverse mechanical axis of the pelvis (TAP) for postoperative evaluation of total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the teardrop is often unclear in the pelvis anteroposterior (AP) radiographs, which makes postoperative evaluation of [...] Read more.
Currently, orthopedic surgeons mainly use the inter-teardrop line (IT-line) as the transverse mechanical axis of the pelvis (TAP) for postoperative evaluation of total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the teardrop is often unclear in the pelvis anteroposterior (AP) radiographs, which makes postoperative evaluation of THA difficult. In this study, we attempted to identify other clear and accurate axes for postoperative evaluation of THA. We calculated the mean and standard deviation of these angles and tested the significance of these angles using t-tests. The inter-teardrops line (IT line) and the upper rim of the obturator foramen (UOF) had smaller angles with the IFH line. The bi-ischial line (BI line) was relatively inaccurate in measurements. We recommend using the IT line as the TAP when the lower boundary of the teardrops is clear and the shapes of the teardrops on both sides of the pelvis are symmetrical. When there is no deformation of the obturator foramen on pelvic AP radiographs, the UOF is also a good choice for the TAP. We do not recommend the BI line as the TAP. Full article
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