RESUMO
Introduction: Although, the effect of direct intra-articular injection of bone marrow stem cells [BMSCs] on the repair of articular cartilage and the effect of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract on pain relief in patients with osteoarthritis have been investigated, no studies has been conducted to compare the effects of these two therapeutic methods on the mechanical properties of articular cartilage. In the present stuy, the effect of these two methods on the mechanical strength of knee articular cartilage in a model of rat osteoarthritis has been studied
Methods: In the present research, 48 mature, male Wistar rats were used. Animals were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 as follows: control group [healthy animals], saline with mono-iodoacetate [MIA], MIA with Elaeagnus angustifolia extract, MIA with BMSCs, and MIA with a combination of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract and BMSCs. Osteoarthritis was induced by injection of 50 and muL solution of MIA in rats of groups 3 to 6. About 500 mg/kg Elaeagnus angustifolia extract was injected intraperitoneally daily for 4 weeks and nonautologous mesenchymal stem cells were injected into the knee joint on the 14th day. Stress-relaxation test was conducted applying 0.1 mm displacement at the rate of 5 mm/min for 1000 seconds. Then, the maximum initial force, instantaneous stiffness,equilibrium force, and equilibrium stiffness were calculated
Results: Induction of osteoarthritis model decreased instantaneous stiffness, maximum initial force, and equilibrium stiffness as compared to the healthy group [P=0.05]. Using Elaeagnus angustifolia extract and bone marrow stem cells increased instantaneous stiffness and equilibrium stiffness compared to MIA group, although this increase was statistically significant only in the BMSCs group [P=0.04 and P=0.026, respectively]. In the BMSCs group, maximum initial force also significantly increased compared to MIA group [P=0.04]
Conclusion: Apparently direct injection of BMSCs into the knee joint with osteoarthritis is more effective in increasing mechanical strength of the cartilage and improving the performance of the weight-bearing joint compared to using Elaeagnus angustifolia extract
RESUMO
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva [FOP, MIM 135100] is a rare genetic disease that is often inherited sporadically in an autosomal dominant pattern. The disease manifests in early life with malformed great toes and, its episodic and progressive bone formation in skeletal muscle after trauma is led to extra-articular ankylosis. In this study, a 17 year-old affected girl born to a father with chemical injury due to exposure to Mustard gas during the Iran-Iraq war, and her first degree relatives were examined to find the genetic cause of the disease. The mutation c.617G>A in the Activin A receptor, type I [ACVR1] gene was found in all previously reported patients with FOP. Therefore, peripheral blood samples were taken from the patient and her first-degree relatives. DNA was extracted and PCR amplification for ACVR1 was performed. The sequencing of ACVR1 showed the existence of the heterozygous c.617G>A mutation in the patient and the lack of it in her relatives. Normal result of genetic evaluation in relatives of the patient, ruled out the possibility of the mutation being inherited from parents. Therefore, the mutation causing disease in the child, whether is a new mutation with no relation to the father's exposure to chemical gas, or in case of somatic mutation due to exposure to chemical gas, the mutant cells were created in father's germ cells and were not detectable in his blood sample