The correlation between caspase-3 and chondrocyte apoptosis in articular cartilage of rats with osteoarthritis at different phases

CHEN Xi-de; WEI Bo; YANG Liu-jing; LIN Hao; ZHENG Zhen-bo; LI Fei-hong

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1001-9448.2018.02.005

Abstract：Objective To investigate the correlation between caspase -3 and chondrocyte apoptosis in articular cartilage of SD rats with osteoarthritis(OA)at different phases.Methods Fifty-six SD rats were randomly divided into 7 groups(n=8).The rats of control group were sacrificed on the day of operation,by which the femoral condyle cartilage were collected.Each one random knee of rats in the experimental groups was selected for anterior cruciate ligament tran -section as the knee injured model was established.At the 2nd,4th,8th,12th,16th and 20th week postoperatively,the rats of one random experimental group were sacrificed and the femoral condyle cartilages in the operated side were collected. All the cartilages samples were processed with HE staining and Safranin O /Fast green staining.Meanwhile,the OA patho-logical grade was made out according to the Mankin score.The caspase -3 expression in the cartilage were analyzed by immunohistochemistry method, and were quantified by average optical density(AOD).Chondrocyte apoptosis was as-sessed by TUNEL.The correlation between caspase -3 and chondrocyte apoptosis at different phases of OA was analyzed. Results Caspase-3 expression and chondrocyte apoptosis were gradually increased,with the aggravation of OA.Among the early,middle and late phases of OA, the differences in caspase -3 expression and chondrocyte apoptosis were with statistical significance(P<0.05).The expression of caspase -3 was significantly positively correlated with chondrocyte apoptosis(P<0.05).Conclusion The expression of caspase -3 is closely correlated to chondrocyte apoptosis.Caspase-3 may play a role in the process of OA at the early,middle and late phases.