Age-related changes in the composition and mechanical properties of human nasal cartilage

doi:10.1016/S0003-9861(02)00263-1

Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Volume 403, Issue 1, 1 July 2002, Pages 132-140

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-9861(02)00263-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

Nasal cartilage is widely used in reconstructive surgery for the replacement of soft tissue defects and nasal reconstruction procedures. The ability to shape harvested tissue and the performance in the transplant site are related to the mechanical properties of nasal cartilage. Several studies have documented changes in composition and mechanical properties of other cartilages with age, but little is known about these processes in nasal cartilage. In this study, 45 human nasal septum specimens were gathered from patients 15–60 years of age after reconstructive surgery. Samples were cut to 6 mm in diameter and tested in confined compression to determine equilibrium modulus and hydraulic permeability and analyzed for glycosaminoglycan and hydroxyproline content. Equilibrium modulus decreased significantly with increasing donor age (P<0.01) while hydraulic permeability increased significantly (P<0.02). Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content decreased significantly with age (P<0.05), while hydroxyproline content showed a slight, but not significant, increase with age (P>0.2). These trends are qualitatively similar to those observed in articular cartilage, suggesting the existence of a systemic process of cartilage degradation that is independent of mechanical loading. Further, the relationships between biochemical composition and mechanical properties were age-dependent, with cartilage from patients less than 30 years of age showing greater dependence of equilibrium modulus and hydraulic permeability on GAG and hydroxyproline content. This suggests that changes in matrix organization may accompany changes in tissue composition.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Cartilage harvest. Human septal cartilage was obtained from reconstructive septorhinoplasty in accordance with the guidelines of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (Worcester, MA) and Englewood Hospital (Englewood, NJ). Donor age ranged from 15 to 60 years with a mean age of 31.7±12.3. We investigated a total of 45 patients, 26 female and 19 male. The cartilage specimens were placed in DMEM¹ (Gibco,

Results

The stress–strain relationship of human nasal cartilage samples in confined compression was described well by a quadratic fit (Fig. 1, top). This results in a linear increase in the modulus with applied strain and a stiffening of the tissue as it is compressed [15]. The hydraulic permeability also showed a distinct dependence on compression state, well characterized by an exponential decrease with applied strain (Fig. 1, bottom) [15].

The equilibrium modulus decreased significantly with age (P

Discussion

The aim of the present study was to investigate biomechanical and biochemical characteristics of human septal cartilage to gain insight into the process of aging in cartilage and to determine standards for materials used as soft tissue replacements. In general, the mechanical behavior of human nasal septum cartilage was qualitatively similar to that of articular cartilage, as evidenced by the linear increase in equilibrium modulus and exponential decrease in hydraulic permeability with

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the German Academic Exchange Society (N.R.) and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

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Age-related changes in the composition and mechanical properties of human nasal cartilage

Abstract

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Results

Discussion

Acknowledgements

J. Biomech. Eng.

Biochim. Biophys. Acta

Anal. Biochem.

Clin. Chim. Acta

Arch. Biochem. Biophys.

Arch. Biochem. Biophys.

Anal. Biochem.

Arch. Oral. Biol.

Matrix Biol.

J. Biomech. Eng.

J. Biomech. Eng.

Ann. Plast. Surg.

Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg.

J. Biomed. Mater. Res.

Arch. Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg.

Instrum. Course Lect.

Semin. Arthritis Rheum.

J. Orthop. Res.