Cytokine and Chemokine Signatures in ACL and Revision ACL Injuries: A Pilot Study- Madigan Research Day 2026

B Kowalski, M Deegan, H Johnson, F Say, L Gillette, Z Colburn, J Dannenbaum, M Bedrin

Abstract accepted for poster presentation at Madigan Research Day 2026

Background: Cytokines and chemokines play critical roles in inflammation and tissue repair, yet their plasma concentrations in patients undergoing primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair and revision ACL (RACL) repair remain poorly understood. This pilot study aimed to compare plasma biomarker profiles between ACL and RACL patients to identify potential differences in inflammatory and immunological responses.

Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 21 patients (ACL group: n=15; RACL group: n=6) at the time of surgery. Plasma was isolated and analyzed using the Bio-Plex Pro Human Immunotherapy Panel, a multiplex immunoassay measuring 20 cytokines and chemokines. Biomarker concentrations were reported in pg/mL, and values outside the detection range were flagged and processed. Statistical comparisons of demographic characteristics and biomarker concentrations were performed using t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and ANOVA controlling for sex. False discovery rate (FDR) adjustments were applied to account for multiple comparisons

Results: No significant differences in demographic characteristics, including age, sex, race, and ethnicity, were observed between the ACL and RACL groups. Of the 20 biomarkers analyzed, six were excluded due to missing or out-of-range values. Statistical analysis of the remaining biomarkers revealed no significant differences between the groups after FDR adjustment. However, several biomarkers, including CCL3, CCL4, and RANTES, approached significance across multiple tests, suggesting potential trends in inflammatory marker expression.

Conclusion: This study provides the novel comparison of plasma cytokine and chemokine profiles in ACL and RACL patients, highlighting potential trends in biomarker expression that warrant further investigation. These findings contribute to the understanding of inflammatory processes in primary and revision ACL repair and may inform future research on targeted therapeutic strategies.