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.%目的 分析不同病期骨关节炎(OA)关节软骨caspase-3表达与软骨细胞凋亡的相关性,探讨caspase-3在OA软骨细胞凋亡中的意义.方法 56只SD大鼠随机分为7组,每组8只.设1组为对照组,于手术当天处死并收集股骨髁样本.其余6组通过离断前交叉韧带建立膝关节损伤模型,于术后2、4、8、12、16、20周分别处死1组大鼠并收集手术侧股骨髁样本.对所有样本行石蜡包埋、HE染色、番红O/固绿染色、Mankin评分,根据Mankin评分对样本行OA病理分期,获得早、中、晚期OA样本.免疫组化染色检测caspase-3表达,TUNEL法检测软骨细胞凋亡,分析 caspase -3表达与软骨细胞凋亡在不同病期 OA 中的相关性.结果 随着OA病情加重,caspase-3表达增多及软骨细胞凋亡增多,在OA早、中、晚期,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).caspase-3表达与软骨细胞凋亡呈正相关(P<0.05).结论 caspase-3与软骨细胞凋亡密切相关,在OA的早、中、晚期对软骨细胞凋亡均起一定作用.
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