Effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound mediated Clematis chinensis Osbeck on the proliferation and expression of type II collagen and transforming growth factor-beta1 of rabbit knee articular chondrocytes

Ma Yong; Guo Yang; Tu Juan; Cheng Ji-hua; Guo Ge-pu; Huang Gui-cheng

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2014.38.008

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that Clematis chinensis Osbeck can promote articular chondrocyte proliferation, maintain and promote the synthesis of cartilage proteoglycan and type II col agen in chondrocytes. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound can effectively improve the carticular chondrocyte proliferation, increase the cellmembrane permeability, and promote chemicals or genes delivery, so as to improve the biological effects of chemicals. <br> OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound mediated Clematis chinensis Osbeck on the proliferation of cartilage cells and the expression of type II col agen and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 of rabbit knee articular chondrocytes cultured in vitro, and explore the effect and mechanism of Clematis chinensis Osbeck mediated by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on cartilage damage. <br> METHODThe rabbit knee articular chondrocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro. cells of the second generation in logarithmic growth phase were randomly divided into four groupcontrol group, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) group, Clematis chinensis Osbeck (CCO) group, and CCO+LIPUS group. After cells were cultured under different conditions for 3 days, cellproliferation was measured with cellCount Kit-8 assay. The secretion of type II col agen was detected by cytochemical staining method, and the expression of TGF-β1 was assayed by western blot analysis. <br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The number of cells in the other three groups were significantly higher than that in control group at 3 days after culture (P<0.05), while the CCO+LIPUS group had the most cells. Cytochemical staining showed that the area and absorbance value of type II col agen in cartilage cells were significantly increased in CCO+LIPUS group, compared with control group (P<0.05), and the difference with control group was larger than the amount of that of LIPUS group and CCO group with control group. Western blot analysis showed that TGF-β1 was significantly expressed in CCO+LIPUS group, and the relative gray value was significantly higher than the other groups (P<0.05). Both low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and Clematis chinensis Osbeck can promote the proliferation of cartilage cells and expression of type II col agen and t-β1 of rabbit knee articular chondrocytes cultured in vitro. The combined method could produce synergistic effects.