逍遥散对雌性兔膝关节软骨组织及性激素水平的影响

目的：探讨逍遥散对雌性兔性激素水平及膝关节软骨组织损伤的影响。方法：40只新西兰兔通过手术方法进行膝关节失稳型造模,1周后随机分为中药组、西药组、混合组和对照组各10只,驱赶行走4周,分别灌药或灌生理盐水8周。造模后12周末处理动物,血清检测雌二醇、睾丸酮含量;HE染色、甲苯胺蓝染色,光镜观察膝关节软骨组织并进行Mankin分级评分。结果：4组动物性激素含量无统计学意义（P〉0.05）;对照组软骨组织中度损伤,中药组、西药组和混合组软骨组织轻度损伤,结果比较有统计学意义。结论：逍遥散可明显减轻兔膝关节软骨组织损伤,对雌性兔性激素水平的影响有待进一步研究。     

手法治疗在青年股骨头缺血性坏死保髋术后的临床应用

目的研究关节松动牵拉手法在股骨头坏死保髋术后的临床疗效,寻求保髋术后理想的康复方法,提高保髋治疗效果。方法25例患者39髋纳入研究(青年股骨头坏死保髋术后,坏死灶已清除,术后1年以上,经X线检查股骨头内坏死已修复患者),给予关节松动牵拉手法治疗,15d为1个疗程,疗程间休息3～5d,连续治疗3个疗程;第1个疗程开始前1d和第3个疗程结束后第2d进行评分。观察25例患者39髋治疗前、后关节功能、痛疼程度、优良率,应用Harris评分标准分别对患者治疗前、后状况进行评价。结果治疗前、后患者疼痛指数、关节活动度评定得分间差别有显著性意义(P<0.01)。结论关节松动牵拉手法可改善股骨头坏死保髋术后患者的关节功能,加快肌力恢复,缩短康复疗程,提高保髋治疗效果及生存质量,可望延缓,甚至避免全髋人工关节置换。     

软骨下骨作为骨关节炎治疗靶点的研究进展

骨关节炎是关节疾病的主要类型之一,严重影响人群的生活质量。长期以来关节软骨的修复障碍一直被认为是关节退化的主要原因,现在人们逐步认识到软骨下骨及其分子代谢在骨关节炎的发生发展中发挥了重要作用,但关节软骨与软骨下骨在骨关节炎中产生相关分子代谢之间的联系尚不明确,对于软骨下骨的分子水平改变的阐述对于骨关节炎的早期诊断以及寻找有效的治疗手段都会有重要意义。     

SCP对人乳腺癌细胞增殖抑制作用的研究

目的：研究SCP对人乳腺癌细胞生长,抑制效应,探讨其抗癌作用机制。方法：用不同浓度的SCP加入体外培养的人乳腺癌细胞（MCF－7）中,观察加药后细胞生长和有丝分裂指数（MI）的变化,用MTT法检测其细胞毒作用;Hoechst33342/PI荧光双染色方法检测细胞凋亡。结果：SCP明显抑制MCF－7细胞生长,IC50值为1mg/ml;MI于加药后48h较对照组明显降低;凋亡细胞比例在用药后48h达63．3％,结论：SCP可有效抑制人乳腺癌细胞的增殖。     

Tolerancia oral en artritis experimental inducida por antígeno en conejos por administración de hidrolizado de cartílago articular

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by polyarticular inflammation, swelling and inflammation that affects more than 1% of the world population. The pathobiology of rheumatoid arthritis involves several cell populations as T lymphocytes, B, macrófagosy fibroblasts, and a complex proinflammatory cytokines interactions. Conventional and biologic therapies do not always work or produce only a partial improvement. Immunological tolerance is a mechanism by which the immune system prevents autoreactivity. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy of peptides from an from articular cartilage hydrolysate extracted of tarsus (HCA) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in a model of rheumatoid arthritis (AAE) in rabbits. AAE animals showed inflammation and pain within de first month of the primary immunization that was reversed in the AAE + HCA group. The control group showed a normal unnaffected synovial tissue. The AAE group revealed an inflamatory process whith synovial hyperplasia, filtering in lymphocytes and vascular proliferation. The treated group decreased significantly inflammation, lymphocyte proliferation and angiogenesis. Arthritic rabbits increased the levels in flammatory markers as nitric oxide, interferon gamma (INF-ɣ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) compared to control and significantly reduced levels of interleukin 4 (IL-4). The treatment showed a significant reduction of nitricoxide, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha and an increase in IL-4. This work suggests that this therapy may be useful in the clinical aspect and the biochemical and immune parameters. Future studies with larger numbers of animals and other laboratory parameters may provide additional evidence in this regard.     

Inflammation and arthritis: perspectives of the glycobiologist

This review focuses on the role of glycosylation during the development of joint inflammation and degeneration. Although glycoproteins and glycan-binding proteins have essential functions in bone and cartilage, and in the inflammatory process, their exact roles are still uncertain due to the vast complexity of carbohydrate structures. Glycosylated epitopes have been shown to play a role in the induction of arthritis in animal models. Currently available drugs are aimed at the protection of cartilage and bone structures but new developments in this area should take into account the tight and specific interactions between bone and cartilage. It is anticipated that new agents will help to remodel damaged joints, based on knowledge of cartilage and bone turnover and on the exact role of glycosylated molecules and cell surface receptor glycoproteins in these processes. Highly sensitive imaging techniques and well-characterized In vivo models will accelerate this development.     

XXIX Italian Society for the Study of Connective Tissues (SISC) Meeting,October 29–30, 2009, Alghero,Italy

Soluble substances in the bovine nuchal ligament were removed by preliminary extractions with a buffer and dilute alkali solution. The insoluble residue was then extracted with 6 M guanidine HCl and with 6 M guanidine HCl containing a reducing agent (20 mM dithiothreitol) successively. Each of the two extracts contained a glycoprotein; that in the first extract was designated Glycoprotein A and that in the second Glycoprotein B. They were purified by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration till essentially homogeneous. Both proteins had similar molecular weights of 35,000 in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by gel filtration, and their chemical compositions resembled each other closely. It is suggested that Glycoprotein B was present in the native state as a disulfide-bonded, aggregated form of Glycoprotein A. The compounds also showed similarity with the microfibrillar glycoprotein(s) previously reported in bovine nuchal ligament extracts.     

Biocompatibility of subcutaneously implanted marine macromolecules cross-linked bio-composite scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering applications

There is an intense interest in developing innovative biomaterials which support the invasion and proliferation of living cells for potential applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Present study demonstrated the in vivo biocompatibility and toxicity of a macromolecules cross-linked biocomposite scaffold composed of hydroxyapatite, alginate, chitosan and fucoidan abbreviated as HACF. The in vivo biocompatibility and toxicity of HACF scaffold were tested by comparing them with those of a biocompatible surgical metal implant (SMI) in a subcutaneous rat model. Following the implantation, animals were sacrificed and the scaffolds were resected at 1st, 4th, and 8th weeks; the surrounding tissue along with the implant was removed to evaluate its biocompatibility. The effects of implanted biomaterial scaffolds on vital organ systems such as liver, kidney, etc., have been studied by hematology and serum biochemistry. The activities of pro-inflammatory marker enzymes such as COX, 5-LOX, 15-LOX, and NOS were normal in rats implanted with HACF scaffold. Hematological parameters, antioxidant and lipid peroxidation status were also found to be normal in implanted rats same as that of control and SMI. The modulatory effect of implanted scaffold over inflammatory and stress signaling cascades were confirmed by the normalized mRNA expressions of NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-6. The histopathological analysis of liver, kidney and tissue support our results. Taken together, these results demonstrated that HACF biocomposite scaffold signifies its suitability for further research as a scaffold material for cartilage tissue engineering applications.