Longitudinal Profiling of Articular Cartilage Degradation in Osteoarthritis by High-Resolution Magic Angle Spinning 1H NMR Spectroscopy: Experimental Study in the Meniscectomized Guinea Pig Model

This study assessed the 1H HRMAS NMR spectroscopic profile of articular cartilage in both physiological and osteoarthitic situations. One-dimensional and two-dimensional 1H HRMAS NMR spectra were obtained from the tibial plateau cartilage of healthy and operated (unilateral medial meniscectomy and sham surgery) guinea pigs at different stages of disease, over a 6-month period. The major osteoarthritis-induced 1H HRMAS NMR changes were an increase of the N-acetyl peak of proteoglycans (at day 20 after meniscectomy) and a decrease after day 60 as the pathology evolved. These proteoglycan changes revealed by 1H HRMAS NMR analysis were validated by proteoglycan biochemistry assays. 1H HRMAS NMR analysis also evidenced a sharp increase in methylene resonances of chondrocyte membrane lipids from day 90 as a marker of apoptosis. There was an increase of the mobile methyl group of collagen at day 120, which was associated with collagen breakdown. 1H HRMAS NMR analysis provided a multifactorial and sequential picture of cartilage degradation at the extracellular matrix and chondrocyte levels.