甘草酸对骨关节炎大鼠炎症抑制与软骨保护作用OA

Objective:To investigate the effects of glycyrrhizic acid(GA)on inflammatory response and chondrocyte apop-tosis in osteoarthritis(OA)rats via regulation of the nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization do-main-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)signaling pathway.Methods:Firstly,osteoarthritis rats were established,Then the successfully modeled rats were randomly separated into five groups:OA group,GA low,medium,and high dose groups(GA-L group,GA-M group,GA-H group),and GA high-dose+NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway activator PMA group(GA-H+PMA group).In addition,an equal number of SD rats undergoing sham surgery were randomly considered as the negative control(NC)group.The knee joint swelling and passive range of motion in rats from each group were measured.The tenderness threshold and thermal pain threshold of rats were determined.The changes in serum levels of inflamma-tory-related factors and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein(COMP)were detected in rats.The pathological and apop-totic changes of cartilage tissue in rats were detected by Mankin score.The apoptosis of cartilage tissue,the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-13(MMP-13)and NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins were detected in each group.Results:The cartilage tissue structure of rats in the OA group was severely damaged,with reduced and disordered arrange-ment of chondrocytes.The passive range of motion,tenderness threshold,thermal pain threshold,and Bcl2 were lower than those in the NC group,and the knee joint swelling,cell apoptosis rate,Mankin score,IL-18,IL-6,IL-1β,COMP,Bax,MMP-13,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65,NLRP3,and Caspase-1 were higher than those in the NC group(P<0.05).The destruction of cartilage tissue and damage to chondrocytes in rats in the GA-L group,GA-M group,and GA-H group were reduced,the passive range of motion,tenderness threshold,thermal pain threshold,and Bcl2 were higher than those in the OA group,and the knee joint swelling,cell apoptosis rate,Mankin score,IL-18,IL-6,IL-1β,COMP,Bax,MMP-13,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65,NLRP3,and Caspase-1 were lower than those in the OA group(P<0.05).The destruction of cartilage tissue and damage to chondrocytes in rats in the GA-H+PMA group were aggravated,the passive range of motion,tenderness threshold,thermal pain threshold,and Bcl2 were lower than those in the GA-H group,and the knee joint swelling,cell apoptosis rate,Mankin score,IL-18,IL-6,IL-1β,COMP,Bax,MMP-13,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65,NLRP3,and Caspase-1 were higher than those in the GA-H group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Glycyrrhizic acid may inhibit the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway to reduce inflammation and chondrocyte apoptosis in osteoar-thritis rats,and delay bone and joint degeneration.