Abstract
Osteoarthritis is the most common human arthritis characterized by degeneration of articular cartilage. Several studies reported that levels of human cartilage glycoprotein chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) are known as a potential marker for the activation of chondrocytes and the progression of Osteoarthritis (OA), whereas lubricin appears to be chondroprotective. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-expression and co-localization of CHI3L1 and lubricin in normal and osteoarthritic rat articular cartilage to correlate their modified expression to a specific grade of OA. Samples of normal and osteoarthritic rat articular cartilage were analyzed by the Kellgren–Lawrence OA severity scores, the Kraus’ modified Mankin score and the Histopathology Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) system for histomorphometric evaluations, and through CHI3L1 and lubricin gene expression, immunohistochemistry and double immuno-staining analysis. The immunoexpression and the mRNA levels of lubricin increased in normal cartilage and decreased in OA cartilage (normal vs. OA, p < 0.01). By contrast, the immunoexpression and the mRNA levels of CHI3L1 increased in OA cartilage and decreased in normal cartilage (normal vs. OA, p < 0.01). Our findings are consistent with reports suggesting that these two glycoproteins are functionally associated with the development of OA and in particular with grade 2/3 of OA, suggesting that in the future they could be helpful to stage the severity and progression of the disease.
Highlights
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common human arthritis characterized by deterioration and loss of articular cartilage [1]
In this study the immunoexpression and the mRNA levels of lubricin increased in normal cartilage and decreased in OA cartilage, while the immunoexpression and the mRNA levels of chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) increased in OA cartilage and decreased in normal cartilage (Figure 7)
Our results indicate that CHI3L1 and lubricin might be considered as potential natural agents for providing therapeutic protective effects in joint inflammation, and/or may promote cartilage preservation in degenerative disorders of articular cartilage
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common human arthritis characterized by deterioration and loss of articular cartilage [1]. The main risk factors involved in the pathogenesis of OA are genetics, aging, obesity, injury and biomechanical stress [3]. This condition is associated with progressive hyaline articular cartilage loss, low-grade synovitis and alterations in subchondral bone and periarticular tissues [4]. The human cartilage glycoprotein chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) is associated with mediators of inflammation [5,6,7] and cartilage damage involved in the pathogenesis of OA [8]. Its production has been correlated to joint inflammation and it was suggested that its over-expression could be involved in remodelling and degradation of cartilage in OA joints [9]
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