RESUMEN
AIM:To explore the effects of decorin on procollagen type I (PcI), mRNA expression,collagen type I synthesis and proliferation of synovial type B cells of stiff knee joint synovial membrane.METHODS:Type B cells of synovial membrane were isolated from the stiff knee joint synovial membrane and cultured in vitro.The cells were treated with decorin at concentrations of 0.1 mg/L, 5 mg/L and 10 mg/L.After cultured for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, the cell proli-feration rates were measured by MTT colorimetric determination.Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry.The mRNA level of Pc I was detected by RT-PCR, while collagen type I was measured by Western blot.RE-SULTS:The proliferation of synovial type B cells was significantly inhibited, the percentage of synovial type B cells at G1 phase was significantly increased by 5 mg/L and 10 mg/L decorin (P<0.05), and PcⅠmRNA expression and collagen type I synthesis were significantly decreased.The cells with late apoptosis were not found in control group and experimental groups.CONCLUSION:Recombinant human decorin inhibits synovial type B cell proliferation and decreases PcⅠmRNA expression and collagen type I synthesis in synovial type B cells of stiff knee joint synovial membrane in vitro, suggesting that decorin potentially contributes to the therapy of human knee stiffness.