Abstract: Objective Using experimental rabbit unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) model of osteoarthritis (OA) to examine the in vivo effects of carboxymethylated chitin (CMC),intra-articularly given,on cartilage degradation and the level as well as distribution of cartilage matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1).Methods OA was induced in 20 rabbits by ACLT.Randomly selected 10 rabbits as experiment group and gave them intra-articular injection of 0.3 ml of 2% CMC solution at 1,3,5 weeks after ACLT.Other 10 rabbits received intra-articular injection of 0.3 ml normal saline at the same time respectively as controls.All knees were harvested at 6 weeks post-surgery.Cartilage degradation of femoral condyles was evaluated at the following two levels:macroscopic and light microscopic.Tissue level and distribution of MMP-1 was documented by immunohistochemistry.Results Cartilage degradation in control group was significantly more severe than that in experimental group both in macroscopic grading scale and in Mankin′s grading scale.Immunohistochemical study showed the MMP-1 was predominantly expressed in the superficial and upper intermediate layers of cartilage,RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry both demonstrated the amount of MMP-1 expression in experimental group was greater in control group than that in experimental group.Conclusion CMC could significantly reduce the severity of cartilage degradation and reduce the expression of MMP-1 in cartilage both at protein level and at mRNA level,it would be a potential drug for the treatment of OA.
Publication Year: 2003
Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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