Gene expression of procollagen alpha 1 (I) and alpha 1 (III) in partial-thickness tears of the deep pectoral tendon in chickens.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healing process of partial-thickness tears of the deep pectoral tendon in chickens which is considered to be equivalent to the human rotator cuff. The superior side (bursal-side) and the inferior side (joint-side) layers of the deep pectoral tendon of 80 adult chickens were lacerated in the same manner. The mRNA expression levels of alpha 1 (I) and alpha 1 (III) procollagen was at a level 2 weeks after laceration. The mRNA expression level of procollagen alpha 1 (I) was significantly higher than that of procollagen alpha 1 (III) in all experimental periods (p<0.05). The expression levels of procollagen-mRNAs were constitutively higher in bursal-side tears than in joint-side tears throughout the experimental periods (p<0.05), even 52nd weeks after laceration. These observations indicate that the bursal-side layer possesses higher healing ability than the joint-side layer in the chicken's deep pectoral tendon where subacromial impingement is absent, and that the remodeling of partial-thickness tears in chicken models needs more than one year.