Abstract
We improved medial collateral ligament (MCL) healing throughout 90 days after surgical transection. We introduced intraperitoneal, perβoral (in drinking water) and topical (thin cream layer) peptide therapy always given alone, without a carrier. Previously, as an effective peptide therapy, stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV, an antiβulcer peptide effective in inflammatory bowel disease therapy (PL 14736)) particularly improved healing of transected tendon and muscle and wound healing effect including the expression of the early growth response 1 (egrβ1) gene. After MCL transection BPC 157 was effective in rats when given once daily intraperitoneally (10βΒ΅g or 10βng/kg) or locally as a thin layer (1.0βΒ΅g dissolved in distilled water/g commercial neutral cream) at the site of injury, first application 30βmin after surgery and the final application 24βh before sacrifice. Likewise, BPC 157 was effective given perβorally (0.16βΒ΅g/ml in the drinking water (12βml/day/rat)) until sacrifice. Commonly, BPC 157 Β΅gβngβrats exhibited consistent functional, biomechanical, macroscopic and histological healing improvements. Thus, we suggest BPC 157 improved healing of acute ligament injuries in further ligament therapy. Β© 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:1155β1161, 2010