Effect of Wudi Dan on vitality and apoptosis of cartilage chondrocytes after osteoarthritis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that Wudi Dan can suppress local inflammatory response of the lesioned joints to protect the articular cartilage. OBJECTIVE:To verify the effect of Wudi Dan on chondrocyte viability and apoptosis as wel as the therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis. METHODS:Rat chondrocytes were cultured in serum medium containing Wudi Dan, and the effects of Wudi Dan on cel viability and apoptosis were observed by comparison with the control group. Rabbit model of knee osteoarthritis was constructed using modified Hulth method. Rabbit models were divided into two groupsWudi Dan group treated with Wudi Dan and control group treated with normal saline, twice a day, consecutively for 4 weeks. Therapeutic effect of Wudi Dan on knee osteoarthritis was observed;cel viability and apoptosis were observed under microscope;the levels of interleukin-1 and matrix metal oproteinase-3 were determined using immunohistochemical method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The apoptotic rate of chondrocytes was significantly lower in the Wudi Dan group than the control group. Pathological findings of the rabbit knee joints showed that the control group had more severe damage to the articular cartilage than the Wudi Dan group. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that in the Wudi Dan group, the cytoplasm and extracel ular matrix were colored light and there were a smal number of positive cel s as wel as low expression of interleukin-1 and matrix metal oproteinase-3. The results suggest that Wudi Dan can effectively protect against articular cartilage lesions, reduce inflammation, and have a good therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis. Its mechanism may be related to inhibition of chondrocyte apoptosis, reduction of cytokine production and inhibition of protein expression of matrix metal oproteinase.