Investigation on the pyridinoline level in serum of experimental rats with articular cartilage damage

Abstract

Objective To investigate the changes of pyridinoline level in the serum of rats with articular cartilage damage induced by T-2 toxin, and to explore its significance as the biomarker of articular cartilage damage. Methods Forty Wistar rats were divided into control group and T-2 toxin group according to their body weight, which were fed on commercial grain fodder and grain fodder contaminated with T-2 toxin(100 ng/g), respectively. At the end of 3, 6 month, the histopathological changes of hyaline cartilage were detected by optical microscope, and the content of pyridinoline in serum was determined by ELISA kits. Results The pathological changes of rat articular cartilage induced by T-2 toxin were in a time-dependent manner, in 3-month T-2 toxin groups, the oval chondroncytes in surface layer disappeared, and all chondrocytes showed distortion, degeneration, karyopyknosis and disarrangement. With the advancement of the experiment, damages were aggravated, extensive necrosis of chondroncytes in rats treated by T-2 toxin for 6 months was found and many blank areas of cells were present. The articular surface was sunken and unsmooth. In some cases, fibrillation of cartilage and reactive hyperplasia of chondrocytes were seen. The pyridinoline level[(2.12±0.40)μg/L] of rats treated by T-2 toxin for 3 month increased markedly, compared with the 3-month control group(0 μg/L), the difference being significant(t = 11.78, P < 0.01), The pyridinoline level [(5.30 ± 2.01 )μg/L] of rats treated by T-2 toxin for 6 month increased markedly, compared with the 6-month control group[(1.95±0.07)μg/L] and 3-month T-2 toxin group, the difference being significant (t = 4.70,4.34, all P < 0.01). Conclusions The pathological damage of rat articular cartilage is more severe when the level of pyridinoline in serum is higher, which suggests that the level of pyridinoline in serum obviously corresponds with the pathological damage of cartilage. So, pyridinoline in serum could be used as a biomarker to evaluate the damage of articular cartilage. Key words: Pyridinoline; Serum; Cartilage; articular; Hurt and damage