METHODS: The HOC isolated from knee joint cartilage removed during surgery were cultured with SCAE for 7 days. The effect of SCAE on anabolic and catabolic gene expression was verified by real-time PCR. Monolayer chondrocytes were stained with toluidine blue whereas sGAG, NO and PGE2 production in medium were analyzed by ELISA.
RESULTS: The HOC cultured in various SCAE have polygonal morphology maintaining their chondrocytes characteristic. SAE supplementation tested was found to be effective pro-chondrogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative agents, as evidenced by upregulation of cartilage specific markers collagen type II, aggrecan core protein and sox-9 expression and downregulation of collagen type 1, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, COX-2, iNOS and PAR-2 expression. The presence of SCAE in the culture was able to increase sGAG and reduce NO and PGE2 production significantly.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that SCAE demonstrated chondroprotective ability by suppressing catabolic activities, oxidative damage and effectively promoting chondrocytes growth.