Investigation of The Efficacy of Sericin in Experimental Knee Osteoarthritis Model in Rats through the TGF-Beta/Smad Pathway

Year 2024, Volume: 19 Issue: 2, 85 - 93, 30.08.2024

Koksal Gundogdu , Özgen Kılıç Erkek , Gülşah Gündoğdu , Dilek Sayın , Gülçin Abban Mete

https://doi.org/10.17094/vetsci.1415498

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the therapeutic efficacy of sericin in rats with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) induced with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA), focusing on evaluating its effectiveness through the TGF-β/Smad pathway.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The KOA model was established by injecting MIA into the knee joint and the rats were randomly divided into three groups:group 1 (control), group 2 (KOA control), and group 3 (KOA+sericin). Sericin was administered intratendinously to rats on days 1,7,14, and 21 (50 µL,0.8 g/kg/mL). After 21 days, the rats were sacrificed, and serum samples were analyzed using the ELISA method to measure TGF-β1, Smad2, and CTGF levels. Additionally, knee joint samples underwent histopathological evaluations with hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical assessment using TGF-β1 and Smad2/3 antibodies.
RESULTS: Serum TGF-β1 and CTGF levels were significantly increased in group 2 vs. group 1 (P<0.05). A statistically significant decrease was observed in group 3 (P<0.05). Serum Smad2 levels were not significantly different between groups. Histopathologically, group 2 showed a narrowing of the joint space, degeneration of the cartilage, and deep fissures. On the other hand, group 3 showed marked joint space expansion, articular chondral regeneration, and immunostaining patterns similar to group 1. Immunohistochemically, group 2 exhibited a significant increase in TGF-β1 and Smad expression, whereas group 3 significantly decreased these expressions than group 2(P<0.01).
DISCUSSION: Sericin demonstrates potential efficacy in the experimental KOA model in rats through the TGF-β1/Smad pathway. Consequently, sericin may emerge as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of KOA with further support from advanced clinical trials.

Keywords

Sericin, Knee osteoarthritis, TGF-β1/Smad pathway

Ethical Statement

Animal studies were approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Pamukkale University (date 09/11/2021, number PAUHADYEK-2021/E-60758568-020-132719/08).

Project Number

none

Deneysel Diz Osteoartrit Modeli Geliştirilen Sıçanlarda Serisinin Etkinliğinin TGF-beta/Smad Yolağı Üzerinden İncelenmesi

Abstract

AMAÇ: Bu çalışmada; Monosodyum iyoKOAsetat (MIA) ile diz Osteoartrit (KOA) modeli oluşturulan sıçanlarda serisinin terapotik etkinliğinin incelenmesi ve bu etkinliğinin TGF-β/Smad yolağı üzerinden değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır.
MATERYAL VE METOD: Sıçanlarda KOA modeli diz eklemine MIA enjekte edilerek oluşturulmuş ve rastgele 3 gruba ayrılmıştır (1. grup (kontrol), 2. grup (KOA kontrol), 3. grup (KOA+serisin)). Sıçanlara, serisin 1, 7, 14 ve 21. günlerde (100 µL, 0,8 g/kg/mL) intratendinöz olarak uygulanmıştır. Sıçanlar 21 günün sonunda sakrifiye edilerek elde edilen serum örneklerinde TGF-β1, Smad2, CTGF, seviyeleri ELİSA yöntemi ile belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca diz eklem örneklerinde Hemotoksilen eozin boyası ile histopatolojik, TGF-β1 ve Smad2/3 antikorları ile immünohistokimyasal değerlendirmeleri gerçekleştirilmiştir.
BULGULAR: Serum TGF-β1 ve CTGF düzeylerinde 2. grupda, 1. gruba göre anlamlı olarak anlamlı artış tespit edilmiş (P <0.05), tedavi verilen 3. grupta ise istatiksel olarak anlamlı azalma görülmüştür (P<0.05). Serum Smad2 düzeylerinde gruplar arasında anlamlı fark saptanmamıştır. Histopatolojik olarak 2. grupda subkondral kemik dokusu ve kıkırdak dejenerasyonu ve derin çatlaklar görülmüştür. 3. grup ise kondrosit hücrelerindeki dejenerasyonun azaldığı kıkırdak dokusunun kalınlığının arttığı ve kıkırdak matriksin normale yakın olduğu izlenmiştir. İmmünohistokimyasal olarak 2. grupda TGF-β1 ve Smad ekspresyonlarında artışlar görülmüştür. Bununla birlikte, 3. grup 2. gruba kıyasla bu ekspresyonlarda azalmalar sergilenmiştir.
TARTIŞMA: Serisin sıçanlarda deneysel KOA modelinde TGF-β1/Smad yolağı üzerinden potansiyel etkinlik göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, serisin ileri klinik çalışmalarla desteklenmesiyle KOA tedavisi için umut verici bir terapötik ajan olabilir.

Keywords

Serisin, Diz osteoartrit, TGF-β1/Smad yolağı

Project Number

none

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