Correlation Between NO/iNOS and Destruction of Articular Cartilage / 昆明医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of articular cartilage destruction and nitric oxide nitric oxide/inducible nitric oxide synthase (NO/iNOS).Methods Forty healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (free movement) and experimental group (overtraining).Total knee joints of rat were collected at week 0,1,2,3,and 6,fixed with 4％ PFA,embedded in paraffin,sectioned and stained.Cartilage morphological changes were observed by Safranin-O staining,NO/iNOS content changes in serum and synovial fluid were determined by ELISA,Mankin's scores were obtained,and cartilage pathological changes were analyzed.Results Overtraining resulted in cell sorting disorders,loss of matrix,destruction like rough surface and cracks,and degeneration of cartilage pathology process.Levels of NO/iNOS in serum and synovial fluid increased after overtrainingweek 1 (48.088 ± 1.534),(3.058 ± 0.073);week 2 (54.574 ± 0.800),(6.630 ± 0.524);week 3 (68.020 ± 3.184),(7.384 ± 0.306);weeks 6 (104.394 ± 8.094),(11.364 ± 0.882) Levels of NO/iNOS in synovial fluid group wereweek 1 (65.814 ±1.610),(8.126 ±0.724);week 2 (72.766 ± 2.344),(9.694 ± 0.564);week 3 (88.816 ± 0.819),(11.326 ± 1.473);week 6 (120.204 ± 12.044),(15.166 ± 1.198),and high level of concentration was found with the increasing amount of exercise.Conclusion There is a positive correlation between the levels of NO/iNOS in synovial fluid or serum and the extent of the damage of articular cartilage.