ABSTRACT
Objective The scope of this study was aimed to explore the relationship between serum Ghrelin levels and disease severity in non-traumatic ONFH patients. Methods 84 non-traumatic ONFH patients and 84 healthy controls were enrolled for this study in our hospital. The radiographic progression was determined by FICAT grading system. The clinical severity was evaluated by visual analogue scale(VAS),Harris hip scores(HSS). The serum APN concentrations were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Serum adiponectin and IL-33 levels were also examined. The relationship between serum Ghrelin levels and radiographic severity,clinical severity and biochemical indices were investigated. Results Serum Ghrelin levels were significantly lower in ONFH patients than in healthy controls. Serum Ghrelin levels were negatively correlated with FICAT grading system. In addition,Serum Ghrelin levels were also negatively related to VAS scores and positively associated with HSS scores ,Last ,Serum Ghrelin levels were positively with adiponectin levels and negatively correlated with IL-33 levels. Conclusion Serum Ghrelin levels in non-traumatic ONFH patients were negatively associated with the disease severity. Decreased serum Ghrelin levels may reflect disease severity of non-traumatic ONFH.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) as common seed cells have been widely used in tissue-engineered cartilage repair.OBJECTIVE: To use human amniotic membrane as a cell scaffold to carry rabbit BMSCs in order to repair articular cartilage defects in the femoral intercondylar fossa of rabbits.METHODS: Rabbit BMSCs were inoculated onto the human acellular amniotic membrane (HAAM) and co-cultured for 2 weeks. Articular defect models were made in the femoral intercondylar fossa of rabbits. The defects of the right knees served as blank control. BMSCs/HAAM composite was transplanted into the defect of the left knee joint as composite group, and HAAM was implanted into the defect of the left knee joint as HAAM group. These rabbits were killed at 8 and 12 weeks after implantation and the newly cartilage samples were evaluated grossly and histologically and then graded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Gross observation showed the defects were filled with cartilaginous tissues in the composite group, and there were no cartilage tissues in the HAAM group, while only fibrous tissues were seen in the blank control group. Histologically, the defect region was full of chondrocytes in the composite group,immunohistochemistry staining indicated that collagen II was rich in the tissue, and furthermore, the cartilage matrix was stained deeply by toluidine blue. In the the HAAM group, there were few chondrocytes, toluidine blue staining was weakly positive, and immunohistochemistry staining was negative, indicating there was no cartilage matrix. In the blank control group, the defects were filled of fibroblasts and toluidine blue staining was weakly positive. To conclude, the BMSCs/HAAM is a good scaffold for BMSCs chondrogenic differentiation to effectively repair articular cartilage defects.