Clinical Study on Treating Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Protrusion Accompanied with Secondary Lumbar Spinal Stenosis by Acupuncture Combined with Medication Plus Joint Mobilization Treatment / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To study the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with medication plus joint mobilization in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion accompanied with secondary lumbar spinal stenosis.MethodsTotally 66 cases of lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion accompanied with secondary lumbar spinal stenosis were collected randomly and divided into treatment group (34 cases) and control group (32 cases). The control group was given treatment of simple acupuncture and TCM medication, while the treatment group was given joint mobilization treatment besides acupuncture and TCM medication. Functions of lumbar vertebra were evaluated by ODI scale and the degrees of pain were evaluated by VAS. The clinical efficacy in the two groups was compared. Results ODI in both groups were significantly improved after treatment compared with that before treatment. However, the changing range of the ODI of the treatment group was more significant than that in control group (P<0.01). After treatment, VAS scores were relieved (P<0.05) in both groups, and treatment group was more significant than that in control group (P<0.05). The total clinical efficacy was 97.06% (33/34) in the treatment group, and 84.38% (27/32) in the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture combined with medication plus joint mobilization in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion accompanied with secondary lumbar spinal stenosis has good efficacy.

Establishment of a chondrocyte degeneration model by over-expression of human Wnt7b gene in 293ft cell line / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of human Wnt7b gene in rat chondrocyte degeneration.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Wnt7b gene obtained by PCR was cloned to PCDH-GFP. 293ft cell line was transfected with PCDH-GFP and PCDH-Wnt7b, and the supernatant and transfected cells were collected. The expression level of Wnt7b in 293ft cells was detected by Western blotting. The first passage of chondrocytes were isolated from articular cartilages of newborn born (within 24 h) SD rats were cultured in the supernatants from the transfected cells (at 10- and 50-fold dilutions). The cell morphology of the rat chondrocytes was observed under inverted microscope, and the protein expressions of MMP13, MMP3 and type II collagen and mRNA expressions of A-can, ADAMTS5, Col X and Sox9 were examined by Western blotting or real-time PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Human Wnt7b gene cloned to PCDH-GFP was expressed efficiently in 293ft cell line. Rat chndrocytes cultured for 24 h in the supernatants from PCDH-Wnt7b-transfected 293ft cells underwent changes from a polygonal to a spindle-shaped morphology. The protein expression levels of MMP13 and MMP3 increased while type II collagen decreased significantly, and the mRNA levels of A-can and Sox9 were down-regulated while Col X and ADMATS5 up-regulated in ratchondrocytes after incubation in supernatants from PCDH-Wnt7b-transfected 293ft cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Human Wnt7b gene can be expressed efficiently in 293ft cell line and can induce rat chondrocyte degeneration in vitro.</p>

MAPK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway regulates osteogenic gene expression in rat osteoblasts in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of inhibition and activation of MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway on the expression of osteogenic genes and proliferation of rat osteoblasts in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Primarily cultured rat osteoblasts, identified by cell morphology studies and ALP staining, were exposed to 1% or 5% rat serum for 24 h or to the specific MAPK-ERK1/2 inhibitor PD0325901. The downstream molecules of MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway including p-ERK1/2 and ERK1/2, osteogenic genes such as Runx2 and Type I collagen, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were detected by Western Blotting, and alkaline phosphatase activities were analyzed quantitatively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with 1% rat serum-treated cells, exposure of the cells to a higher concentration (5%) of rat serum caused a significantly increased phosphorylation level of p-ERK1/2 (P<0.05) and obviously enhanced expressions of the osteogenic genes (Runx2, type I collagen and ALP) and PCNA (P<0.05). Inhibition of the MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway with PD0325901 resulted in suppressed expressions of the osteogenic genes and PCNA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The activation of MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway promotes the expression of osteogenic genes such as Runx2, type I collagen and ALP and enhances the proliferative activity of the osteoblasts, while inhibition of this pathway suppresses the expressions of these genes and the cell proliferation, suggesting that this pathway may potentially serve as a therapeutic target for osteoporosis.</p>

Inhibition effect of osthole on proliferation of rat chondrocytes / 中西医结合学报

To investigate the effects of osthole on chondrocyte proliferation in vitro.

Effects of laser irradiation on arthritic histopathology and heat shock protein 70 expression in C57 black mice with osteoarthritis / 中西医结合学报

To study the effects of three different laser treatments (650 nm alone, 10.6 μm alone and combined laser of 650 nm and 10.6 μm) on experimental osteoarthritis of the knees in C57 black mice.

Comparison of the effect of ibuprofen and glucosamine on synoviocyte proliferation and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein expression in knee osteoarthritis of human / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To compare the effect of ibuprofen and glucosamine on synoviocyte proliferation and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) expression in human knee osteoarthritis. Methods Human synoviocytes were isolated from synovium (earlier stage and late stage of OA) by tissue culture and were cocultured with ibuprofen and glucosamine. The concentration of COMP was determined by MTS/PMS method and hCOMP kit. Two-tailed t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results The observation time of tissue culture was determined at 5～7 day by the MTS/PMS method. The A values of glucosamine [ late stage group (0.054±0.021), early stage group (0.777±0.034)] were less than the normal serum control group (P＜0.05).Both ibuprofen [late stage group (35.4±1.9), early stage group (46.0±2.2)] and glucosamine [late stagegroup (36.6±1.3), early stage group (48.8±1.3) ] could decrease the concentration of COMP in synoviocyte secretion in vitro (P＜0.05). Conclusion Glucosamine can inhibit the synoviocyte proliferation of human knee osteoarthritis (both early stage and late stage) in vitro. Both ibuprofen and glucosamine can inhibit the COMP secretion of synoviocyte in vitro.

Morphological studies on osteoarthritis of the articular cartilage in C57 black mice and its relationship with etalloproteinase-3 and lnterleukln-1 in serum and synovial fluid / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To study the levels of Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and interleukin (IL-1) in the synovial fluid and plasma of C57 black mice with osteoarthritis (OA) and their relationships with the severity of pathological changes so as to investigate their effects and correlation with OA. Methods The C57 black mice with OA were enrolled for this study. Different levels of exercise were appicated based on their age. Knee joint pathological changes were examined for pathological severity of OA. ELISA sandwich method was used to measure the levels of MMP-3 and IL-1 in serum and synovial fluid. Correlation analysis was performed to demonstrate the relationship between the levels of MMP-3 and IL-1 in the serum and synovial fluid, and the pathological severity of OA. Results ①Morphological observations: C57 black mice were characterized by spontaneously developing OA and the incidence and the severity of osteoarthritis gradually increased with age and exercising burdens. ② The level of MMP-3 and IL-1 in the synovial fluid of exercising mice MMP-3 (84±6) ng/ml, IL-1 (48±3) ng/ml was higher than that in the aged ones [MMP-3 (84±6) ng/ml, IL-1 (71±5) ng/ml J, the difference was significant (P<0.01). The level of MMP-3 and IL-1 level in the serum had a linear correlation with that of the synovial fluid. At the same time, they also had linear correlation with the pathological severity of OA (All r>0.67, and all P<0.01). Conclusion The levels of MMP-3 and IL-1 in serum and synovial fluid can help to make early diagnosis of OA, especially elevated MMP-3 level.

Comparison of the effect of glucosamine on the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein secretion in vitro chondrocytes and synoviocytes / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To compare the effect of glucosamine (Virtral-s) on the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) secretion of chondrocytes and synoviocytes in vitro.Methods Chondrocytes and synoviocytes isolated from knee cartilage of osteoarthritic patients were cultured by phased enzymatic digestion.Sera containing Virtral-s of the experimental animals were obtained after orally administrated Virtral-s at the dosages that equal to human.Cells were cultured in the medium with Virtral-s containing sera.Super-natant COMP level was tested by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISA).Results COMP conceu-tration of synoviocytes cultured in vitro was significantly higher than that of chondrocytes (P＜0.05).Virtral-s could significantly increase COMP secretion in cultured chondrocytes in vitro (P＜0.05),however,it had a weaker role on synoviocytes,ie,it could only mildly reduce COMP secretion of synoviocytes.Conclusion Glucosamine (Virtral-s)-containing serum can promote COMP secretion of chondrocytes in vitro,and it has no significant effect on synoviocytes in vitro.