›› 2010, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (7): 812-.

• Original article (Clinical research) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Expression of HIF-1&alpha|and VEGF in chondrocytes of articular cartilages in human advanced osteoarthritis

LI Xiao-yan, ZHAO Jian, ZENG Wen, ZHANG Wei, QI Jin, ZHOU Qi, DENG Lian-fu   

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200025, China
  • Online:2010-07-25 Published:2010-07-26
  • Supported by:

    National Natural Science Foundation of China, 30872641；Shanghai Science and Technology Committee Foundation, 08DZ2200500, 09DZ2200500

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Abstract:

Objective To observe the expression of hypoxia inducible factor factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in chondrocytes of articular cartilages in human advanced osteoarthritis (OA), and explore the role of HIF-1α in the pathogenesis of OA. Methods Articular cartilage specimens were obtained from 18 patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) undergoing total knee joint replacement, and KOA weight-bearing group (medial femoral condyle, with severe abrasion) and KOA relative non-weight-bearing group (lateral femoral condyle, with moderate abrasion) were divided. Besides, articular cartilage specimens from 5 patients undergoing amputation for bone malignant neoplasms of femur proximal end and shaft of femur were served as control group. HE staining, Safranin O staining and Mankin scoring were performed to observe and evaluate the histological characteristics of articular cartilages of each group, immunohistochemical staining was conducted to detect the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in the chondrocytes of articular cartilages, and the numbers of chondrocytes with positive expression of HIF-1α or VEGF were counted. Results The Mankin score of KOA weight-bearing group (12.36±0.84) were significantly higher than those of KOA relative non-weight-bearing group (7.23±0.32) and control group (0.88±0.15) (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the numbers of chondrocytes with positive expression of HIF-1α or VEGF in KOA weight-bearing group (4.81±0.62 and 5.67±0.32, respectively) were significantly higher than those in KOA relative non-weight-bearing group (2.37±0.68 and 4.87±0.33, respectively) and control group (0.78±0.14 and 2.02±0.45, respectively) (P<0.05). Conclusion The expression of HIF-1α and VEGF protein increases in chondrocytes of articular cartilages of advanced OA, and the upregulation of expression of VEGF may be the regulatory mechanism of HIF-1α in the pathogenesis of OA.

Key words: osteoarthritis, articular cartilage, hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor