Peritendinous elastase treatment induces tendon degeneration in rats: A potential model of tendinopathy in vivo

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of elastase on tendinopathy, as well as to evaluate the potential for peritendinous injections of elastase into rats to cause tendinopathy. We first investigated the expression of elastase in the tendons of patients with tendinopathy, and then established the effects of elastase injection on the Achilles tendons of rats. Ultrasonographic and incapacitance testing was used to conduct tests for 8 weeks. Tendon tissues were collected for histological observation and protein levels of collagen type I and type III were detected using Western blotting. The percentage of elastase-positive cells increased in human specimens with grades II and III tendinopathy. The rat model demonstrated that the thickness of the tendon increased after elastase injection during Week 2-8. Hypercellularity and focal lesions were detected after Week 2. The expression of elastase was increased and elastin was decreased in Week 8. Collagen type I expression was decreased, but type III was increased in Week 4. These results suggested that elastase may be involved in the development of chronic tendinopathy, and that peritendinous injection of elastase may result in tendinopathy in rats.