Increasing the durability of tendon repair in rats with doxycline

In our study conducted at the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University; we aimed to examine the histopathological, biomechanical and molecular changes in tendon repair strength through matrix metalloproteinase inhibition due to doxycycline use in the treatment of tendon injuries, which are among the frequently encountered problems of our clinic. Rat Achilles tendon was used in our study. The groups were formed as the basal group, in which no procedure was performed, the control group, in which only Achilles tendon rupture was created and repaired, and the treatment group, in which tendon rupture was created and repaired and 30 mg/kg/day doxycycline was given by gavage. The control and treatment groups were divided into two subgroups as those in which tissue and blood samples were taken and those in which total Achilles tendon was taken. On the first day of the study, blood and tissue samples were taken from the basal group and used to measure the baseline levels of matrix metalloproteinase and matrix metalloproteinase tissue inhibitor. On the 21st day, tissue and blood samples were taken in the treatment and control groups. Matrix metalloproteinase 1, -2, -3, -6, -8, -9, -12, -13 and matrix metalloproteinase tissue inhibitor-1 from tissue and blood samples taken in the Department of Molecular Biology were evaluated histopathologically in the Department of Medical Pathology. In addition, the rupture forces of the Achilles tendons were measured in the physics laboratory. In our study; the effect of doxycycline on matrix metalloproteinase inhibition was observed at the molecular level. It was seen that the rupture forces were higher in the treated group and when examined histopathologically, the vascularity was higher in the treated group. As a result; we can say that the use of doxycycline has beneficial effects by increasing the strength of the tenorrhaphy line both cellularly, molecularly and mechanically. Keywords: Tendon Rupture, Doxycycline, Matrix Metalloproteinase