ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Col agen type II and proteoglycan loss are two most obvious manifestations of cartilage damage in the onset of osteoarthritis. Changes in col agen type II and proteoglycan as the main components of cartilage matrix directly lead to cartilage degeneration and subsequently result in osteoarthritis. How to reverse or prevent the development of this process becomes the focus of medical research. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of warming yang and benefiting marrow recipe on the expression of col agen type II and proteoglycan in the articular cartilage of knee osteoarthritis rabbits as wel as to further explore the mechanism underlying chondrocyte protection. METHODS:Ninety-six New Zealand rabbits, aged 9 months old, male and female, were selected to prepare osteoarthritis models in extension position using cast immobilization method, and were randomly divided into four groups:blank group (untreated), model group (simple modeling), Chinese medicine group (intragastric administration of extracts of warming yang and benefiting marrow recipe, 24 mL/kg/d) and western medicine group (intragastric administration of glucosamine hydrochloride, 24 mL/kg/d). Intragastric administration was done once a day for 6 weeks. RT-PCR technology was used to observe the effect of warming yang and benefiting marrow recipe on the expression of col agen type II and proteoglycans in the articular cartilage, and pathological examination was also done. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The cartilage surface was smooth in the blank group and Chinese medicine group, with uniform toluidine blue staining, but in the model group and western medicine group, the cartilage surface was rough and the toluidine blue staining was extremely uneven with obvious loss of surface and middle layer dying. The expressions of cartilage proteoglycan and col agen type II in the model group were significantly lower than those in the blank group (P<0.01) as wel as in the Chinese medicine group and western medicine group (P<0.05). In addition, the expressions of cartilage proteoglycan and col agen type II in the Chinese medicine group were higher than those in the western medicine group (P<0.05). These findings indicate that the recipe of warming yang and benefiting marrow can enhance the expressions of col agen type II and proteoglycan, which can maintain the normal col agen phenotype and protect the articular cartilage.
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BACKGROUND:Rheumatoid arthritis is a common chronic systemic autoimmune disease which is characterized by synovial lesions and bone erosion. The clinical treatment is stil a difficulty. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide on the articular lesions in rheumatoid arthritis rats. METHODS:Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups:control group, model group, high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide intervention group, low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide intervention group. At 2 and 4 weeks after intervention, the arthritis index, levels of serum inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrotic factor-αand interleukin-1β), pathological change of synovial tissue, average absorbance of knee joint specimens using col agen-II immunohistochemical staining were measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The arthritis index, levels of serum inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory infiltration of synovial staining in the model group and two intervention groups were higher than that in control group, the high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide intervention group was significantly higher than the model group (P<0.05) while the low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide intervention group was lower than the model group (P<0.05). The average absorbance of knee cartilage specimens using col agen-II immunohistochemical staining was lower in the model group and two hydrogen sulfide intervention groups compared with the control group, the high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide intervention group was significantly lower than the model group (P<0.05) while low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide intervention group was higher than the model group (P<0.05). Hydrogen sulfide has a regulatory effect on rheumatoid arthritis, high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide aggravate arthritis and cartilage degradation, low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide reduce arthritis and protect cartilage.
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BACKGROUND:The narrowing of intervertebral space induced by the intervertebral disc degeneration is mainly characterized by the expression of proteoglycan in nucleus pulposus cells and the reduction of col agen type II. OBJECTIVE:To quantitatively observe col agen type II protein in adult normal and degenerative intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells by immunofluorescence staining and safranin O staining. METHODS:The nucleus pulposus specimens were col ected from adult scoliosis patients and patients with intervertebral disc protrusion, who were al volunteers. After culture, 26 cells in each patient were measured. There were 78 cells in both normal group and degeneration group. The normal and degenerative intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells were subjected to safranin“O”staining, and gray values were determined;intracellular col agen type II was detected by immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Immunofluorescence staining revealed that, degenerative intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells were only mildly stained, with the fuzzy staining, the shape was round, spindle, fusiform and irregular. There were a very smal amount of fluorescent particles within cells. The expression of col agen type II was decreased significantly compared with normal cells (P0.05). The degenerative intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells have a smal quantity and partial y become apoptotic, the content of col egen type II protein is decreased significantly compared with normal nucleus pulposus cells.
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BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that Clematis chinensis Osbeck can promote articular chondrocyte proliferation, maintain and promote the synthesis of cartilage proteoglycan and type II col agen in chondrocytes. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound can effectively improve the carticular chondrocyte proliferation, increase the cellmembrane permeability, and promote chemicals or genes delivery, so as to improve the biological effects of chemicals. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound mediated Clematis chinensis Osbeck on the proliferation of cartilage cells and the expression of type II col agen and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 of rabbit knee articular chondrocytes cultured in vitro, and explore the effect and mechanism of Clematis chinensis Osbeck mediated by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on cartilage damage. METHODThe rabbit knee articular chondrocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro. cells of the second generation in logarithmic growth phase were randomly divided into four groupcontrol group, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) group, Clematis chinensis Osbeck (CCO) group, and CCO+LIPUS group. After cells were cultured under different conditions for 3 days, cellproliferation was measured with cellCount Kit-8 assay. The secretion of type II col agen was detected by cytochemical staining method, and the expression of TGF-β1 was assayed by western blot analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The number of cells in the other three groups were significantly higher than that in control group at 3 days after culture (P<0.05), while the CCO+LIPUS group had the most cells. Cytochemical staining showed that the area and absorbance value of type II col agen in cartilage cells were significantly increased in CCO+LIPUS group, compared with control group (P<0.05), and the difference with control group was larger than the amount of that of LIPUS group and CCO group with control group. Western blot analysis showed that TGF-β1 was significantly expressed in CCO+LIPUS group, and the relative gray value was significantly higher than the other groups (P<0.05). Both low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and Clematis chinensis Osbeck can promote the proliferation of cartilage cells and expression of type II col agen and t-β1 of rabbit knee articular chondrocytes cultured in vitro. The combined method could produce synergistic effects.
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BACKGROUND:Experiments have shown that the col agen substrate has the capability of stimulating cartilage generation, but the stimulating role of different types of col agen substrates remains controversial. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of type I and type II col agen on the biological characteristics of human chondrocytes cultured in vitro. METHODS:Human chondrocytes at passage were cultured onto the ordinary culture plates (ordinary plate), type I col agen-coated culture plates (type I plate), and type II col agen-coated culture plates (type II plate). cellgrowth curves were determined by MTT method after cells were cultured for 10 days. By ELISA, PCR, and 1,9-dimethyl methyleneblue technology, type I and type II col agen and glycosaminoglycan contents were quantitatively detected in cartilage cells 28 days after culture. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The number of cartilage cells was the highest in type II plate, which was twice of that in type I plate and five times of that in ordinary plate. Cartilage cells in type II plate secreted the least amount of type I col agen, which showed significant differences compared with the ordinary plate (P0.01). Cartilage cells in type II plate secreted the most amount of type II col agen and glycosaminoglycan, showing significant differences compared with the other two plates (P<0.01). The cartilage cells cultured in col agen plates are better than that cultured in ordinary culture plate, type II col agen culture plate is better than type I col agen culture plate in maintaining cellshape, extending the dedifferentiation pattern, and promoting celldifferentiation.