Intra-articular injection of mono-iodoacetate induces osteoarthritis of the hip in rats

BACKGROUND: The mechanism for hip pain has been unclear because of a lack of experimental animal models. We aimed to establish an intra-articular injection technique to the rat hip and to document the effect of intra-articular mono-iodoacetate (MIA) injection to the rat hip with radiography and histology. METHODS: Using 60 6-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats, 25 μl of sterile saline (control group; n = 30) and 25 μl of sterile saline with 2 mg of MIA (MIA group; n = 30) was injected into the right hip joints via posterior approach using a 27G needle. The animals were examined with X-ray and histology 7, 14, 28, 42, and 56 days later (MIA group [n = 6] and control group [n = 6], respectively). RESULTS: The MIA group showed progressive radiographic changes to the hip joint during the experimental period, whereas the control group maintained a normal appearance. The microanatomic appearance was consistent with X-ray images of progressive destruction in the MIA group and normal tissue in the control group. Osteoarthritic (OA) changes became apparent at 42 and 56 days in the MIA group. CONCLUSIONS: We established an intra-articular injection technique to the rat hip, creating a hip OA model in the rat by intra-articular injection of MIA.