Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Imbalance of matrix metalloproteinase 1 and its tissue inhibitor is the key of articular cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Uygur medicine Maizhuni on the expression of metalloproteinase 1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 in rat articular cartilage cells induced by interleukin-1β.
METHODS: Primary chondrocytes were isolated from one week old SD rats, and then identified. Chondrocytes of passage 2 were randomly assigned into control group, model group and Maizhuni group. Chondrocytes in model group and Maizhuni group were treated with 10 μg/L interleukin-1β for 24 hours. After that, chondrocytes in Maizhuni group and model group were further cultured for 12, 24 and 48 hours in addition with 10% Maizhuni medicated serum and rat serum, respectively.
RESUILS AND CONCLUSION: According to RT-PCR results at 48 hours after cultivation, 10% Maizhuni medicated serum increased the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 tissue inhibitor and suppressed the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 in chondrocytes. But the effect was not obvious at 24 and 36 hours after cultivation. Immunofluorescence and cytochemical staining results showed that Maizhuni medicated serum increased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 tissue inhibitor in chondrocytes. These findings indicate that Maizhuni can regulate the expression of metalloproteinase 1 and its tissue inhibitor in rat chondrocytes induced by interleukin-1β in a time-dependent manner.