MedStar Research Institute, Orthopedic and Sports Health Research, Baltimore, MD, USA.
J Athl Train. 2010 Jan-Feb;45(1):22-8. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-45.1.22.
Sex-specific responses to steroid sex hormones have been suggested as a potential cause for the disparate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rates between male and female athletes. Type 1 collagen (T1C) and type 3 collagen (T3C) are crucial structural components that define the ligament's ability to withstand tensile loads. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is an important mediator of downstream collagen synthesis and remodeling, but the sex-specific mechanisms of collagen mRNA expression and ACL strength are unknown.
To examine the influence of sex on T1C and T3C mRNA expression and mass-normalized stiffness and peak failure load in the ACLs of skeletally mature rats.
Observational study.
Basic sciences and biomechanical testing laboratories.
Nineteen 12-week-old male (n = 9) and female (n = 10) Sprague Dawley rats.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We used real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine T1C and T3C mRNA expression and a hydraulic materials testing device to measure ACL stiffness and failure load. Nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare the groups.
Female rats had lower amounts of T3C mRNA expression and higher normalized ACL tangent stiffness and failure load than male rats.
These findings suggest that sex-specific differences in T1C and T3C mRNA expression may play an important role in the downstream mechanical properties of the ACL.
有人认为，甾体性激素的性别特异性反应是导致男女运动员前交叉韧带（ACL）损伤率差异的潜在原因。I 型胶原（T1C）和 III 型胶原（T3C）是决定韧带承受拉伸载荷能力的关键结构成分。信使 RNA（mRNA）是下游胶原合成和重塑的重要介质，但胶原 mRNA 表达和 ACL 强度的性别特异性机制尚不清楚。
研究性别对骨骼成熟大鼠 ACL 中 T1C 和 T3C mRNA 表达及质量归一化刚度和峰值失效负荷的影响。
观察性研究。
基础科学和生物力学测试实验室。
19 只 12 周龄雄性（n = 9）和雌性（n = 10）Sprague Dawley 大鼠。
我们使用实时聚合酶链反应确定 T1C 和 T3C mRNA 表达，并使用液压材料测试装置测量 ACL 刚度和失效负荷。使用非参数 Wilcoxon 秩和检验比较组间差异。
雌性大鼠的 T3C mRNA 表达量较低，归一化 ACL 切线刚度和失效负荷均高于雄性大鼠。
这些发现表明，T1C 和 T3C mRNA 表达的性别特异性差异可能在 ACL 的下游力学特性中发挥重要作用。
