Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Proteolysis of proteoglycan and collagen fiber is the prime basis of physiology and pathology for osteoarthritis. Glucosamine cannot only reduce the pain symptoms but also delay the pathological changes of osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE: To know about the effects of glucosamine on chondrocyte proteoglycan metabolism induced by interleukin -1β in human osteoarthritis cultured in vitro.
METHODS: Chondrocytes extracted from the knee of osteoarthritis patients were primarily cultured by staged enzymatic digestion method. Interleukin-1β was put into the culture medium, and three groups were formed: control group with no medicated rabbit-sera, interleukin-1β control group and experimental group (medicated rabbit-sera were put in various dosages of glucosamine).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The percentage of glycosaminoglycanin released in culture solution in the experimental group was significantly decreased compared with the control group (P < 0.01), and glycosaminoglycanin percentage decreased gradually with the increase of glucosamine concentrations. Average value of synthesis marker 3B3 of proteoglycan was obviously increased compared with the control group (P < 0.01), and there was a positive relation with glucosamine concentrations. But the average value of degradation marker 5D4 was inverse. Glucosamine could increase the expression of chondrocyte proteoglycan mRNA and decrease the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1/matrix metalloproteinase-3 mRNA in the osteoarthritis patients. It shows that glucosamine can inhibit promoting effect of Interleukin-1β on chondrocyte proteoglycan metabolism in osteoarthritis patients to protect the cartilage and prevent osteoarthritis.