Despite extensive studies on the multifaceted roles of morroniside, the main active constituent of iridoid glycoside from Corni Fructus, the effect of morroniside on osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the influence of morroniside on cultured human OA chondrocytes and a rat experimental model of OA. The results showed that morroniside enhanced the cell viability and the levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression (PCNA), type II collagen and aggrecan in human OA chondrocytes, indicating that morroniside promoted chondrocyte survival and matrix synthesis. Furthermore, different doses of morroniside activated protein kinase B (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in human OA chondrocytes, and in turn, triggered AKT/S6 and ERK/P70S6K/S6 pathway, respectively. The PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 or the MEK/ERK inhibitor U0126 attenuated the effect of morroniside on human OA chondrocytes, indicating that the activation of AKT and ERK contributed to the regulation of morroniside in human OA chondrocytes. In addition, the intra-articular injection of morroniside elevated the level of proteoglycans in cartilage matrix and the thickness of articular cartilage in a rat experimental model of OA, with the increase of AKT and ERK activation. As a consequence, morroniside has chondroprotective effect on OA chondrocytes, and may have the therapeutic potential for OA treatment.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease characterized by deterioration of articular cartilage. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of some microRNAs in cartilage damage. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the expression of microRNA-634 (miR-634) in normal and OA chondrocytes, and to determine its role in OA pathogenesis. Human normal and OA chondrocytes obtained from patients were cultured in vitro. Transfection with miR-634 mimic or inhibitor was employed to investigate the effect of miR-634 on chondrocyte survival and matrix synthesis, and to identify miR-634 target. The results indicated that miR-634 was expressed at lower level in high grade OA chondrocyte compared with normal chondrocytes. Overexpression of miR-634 could inhibit cell survival and matrix synthesis in high grade OA chondrocytes. Furthermore, miR-634 targeted PIK3R1 gene that encodes the regulatory subunit 1 of class I PI3K (p85α) and exerted its inhibitory effect on the phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR, and S6 signal molecules in high grade OA chondrocytes. Therefore, the data suggested that miR-634 could suppress survival and matrix synthesis of high grade OA chondrocytes through targeting PIK3R1 gene to modulate the PI3K/Akt/S6 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6 axes, with important implication for validating miR-634 as a potential target for OA therapy.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degradation including extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and cell loss. It is known that phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase γ1 (PLCγ1) can trigger several signaling pathways to regulate cell metabolism. However, whether this kinase is expressive and active in human OA chondrocytes and its role in the pathological progression of OA have not been investigated. The current study was designed to investigate the PLCγ1 expression in human OA cartilage, and whether PLCγ1 was involved in the ECM synthesis had been further explored using cultured human OA chondrocytes. Our results indicated that PLCγ1 was highly expressed in human OA chondrocytes. In our further study using the cultured human OA chondrocytes, the results demonstrated that the disruption of PLCγ1 by its inhibitor, U73122, and siRNA contributed to the ECM synthesis of human OA chondrocytes through regulating the expression of ECM-related signaling molecules, including MMP-13, Col II, TIMP1, Sox-9, and AGG. Furthermore, PLCγ1/IP3/Ca(2+)/CaMK II signaling axis regulated the ECM synthesis of human chondrocytes through triggering mTOR/P70S6K/S6 pathway. In summary, our results suggested that PLC-γ1 activities played an important role in the ECM synthesis of human OA chondrocytes, and may serve as a therapeutic target for treating OA.
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to facilitate the in vitro maturation of sheep oocytes, and enhance embryo’s capability for further development. However, such kind of molecular mechanism has not yet been elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effect of EGF-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinases 3 and 1 (MAPK3/1) pathway on in vitro maturation of sheep oocytes. U0126, a specific inhibitor of MEK (MAPK kinase), was added into the maturation culture medium to block the EGF-mediated MAPK3/1 pathway with different doses. Then, the nuclear maturation of sheep oocytes was examined. Additionally, the effect of EGF-mediated MAPK3/1 on cytoplasmic maturation was examined though in vitro fertilization and embryonic development. The rate of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) after 6 h of culture with 10−4 mol/l of U0126 (50.4%) was significantly decreased compared with control (67.2%, p < 0.05), and the first polation body (PB1) extrusion rate after 22 h of culture in drug treatment was also significantly inhibited compared with control (28.6% vs. 48.4%, p < 0.05). However, 10−6 mol/l U0126 had slight effect on oocyte nuclear maturation. The normal distribution rate of α-tubulin in the oocytes after 22 h of in vitro maturation was significantly decreased in the 10−4 mol/l U0126 group (54%) compared with control (68%, p < 0.05). After in vitro fertilization, the cleavage rate in drug treatments (56.8% in 10−6 mol/l U0126 group and 42.6% in 10−4 mol/l U0126 group) was significantly decreased compared with control (72.3%, p < 0.01). The blastocyst rate in 10−4 mol/l U0126 group (17.6%) was also significantly decreased compared with control (29.9%, p < 0.05). Collectively, these results suggest that EGF-mediated MAPK3/1 pathway is conducive to in vitro maturation of sheep oocytes.
Despite many attempts to improve the in vitro maturation (IVM) of canine oocytes using various culture conditions, the efficiency of canine IVM remains very low compared with that of other domestic animals. In the present study we examined the effect of (1) ovarian estrous stage on oocyte quality, and (2) epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the presence and absence of macromolecules on the IVM of canine oocytes. Reproductive tracts from normal, client-owned bitches aged approximately 7 months were collected after routine ovariohysterectomy at private veterinary clinics. The ovaries were removed, washed free of blood with PBS, and repeatedly cut with a scalpel blade at room temperature in HEPES-buffered Tyrodes medium containing 0.1% (w/v) polyvinyl alcohol. Each group of 10 cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) was matured in North Carolina State University (NCSU)-17 medium supplemented with 1 �g/mL FSH, 10 IU/mL hCG, and 1 �g/mL �-estradiol under paraffin oil for 48 or 72 h at 37�C. Follicular ovaries contained the largest number of oocytes (more than 300), and the number of oocytes e100 �m in diameter was also significantly greater in follicular ovaries than in ovaries at other stages (P < 0.001). Luteal ovaries had the smallest number of both total and large oocytes. After 72 h of culture, significantly more oocytes recovered from follicular ovaries were in GVBD than oocytes from anestrous or luteal ovaries. After 72 h of culture, oocytes recovered from follicular ovaries had a significantly lower percentage reaching the GV stage (59.7 � 5.2%) and more in GVBD (40.3 � 3.1%) compared with both anestrous (GV, 75.1 � 5.2%; GVBD, 24.9 � 3.1%) and luteal (GV, 79.8 � 5.2%; GVBD, 22.0 � 3.1%) ovaries (P < 0.05). However, maturation to MI/MII was not statistically different between the stages of the estrous cycle. BSA or FBS supplementation did not improve meiotic maturation when compared to PVA supplementation. In the presence of 100 nM epidermal growth factor (EGF), either FBS or BSA enhanced the proportion of oocytes in GVBD/MI (59.7 � 2.2% [FBS] and 51.7 � 2.2% [BSA] vs. 36.1 � 2.2% [PVA], P < 0.05). In addition, 0.4% BSA significantly increased the percentage of oocytes in MII (18.5 � 0.8%) compared to 10% FBS (7.1 � 0.8%; P < 0.05). These results suggest that the estrous cycle of bitches influences the meiotic maturation of oocytes cultured in vitro, and EGF increases the meiotic maturation of canine oocytes in the presence of BSA in vitro. This work was funded by a grant from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Korea and the National Research Laboratory Program.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.