title: Vitamin E protects chondrocytes against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the effect of an antioxidant, Vitamin E, on cultured chondrocytes against H₂O₂-induced damage in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat chondrocytes isolated from articular cartilage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chondrocytes were pretreated with either 50 or 100 μM Vitamin E or serum-free medium for 24 h followed by their exposure to 200 μM H₂O₂ for 3 h. Chondrocytes without exposure to H₂O₂ served as control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of Vitamin E pretreatment was evaluated by examining proteoglycan contents, nitrite levels, viability, apoptosis, and senescence of cultured chondrocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proteoglycan contents increased in groups treated with Vitamin E. Semi-quantitative real-time PCR data also correlated with these results and demonstrated that Vitamin E up-regulated expression of Agc1, Col2a1, and PCNA genes along with down-regulation in the expression of Col1a1 and Casp3 genes. The differentiation index improved after Vitamin E pretreatment. Nitrite levels were reduced with a corresponding increase in cell viability. Reduction in apoptosis and senescence was also observed after Vitamin E pretreatment. Moreover, a dose-dependent effect of Vitamin E was seen. In contrast to 50 μM Vitamin E, 100 μM was more potent in inducing protection of chondrocytes from H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin E reversed the oxidant-induced alterations in chondrocytes and may be a good option to pretreat chondrocytes before transplantation.
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road, Lahore, 53700, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Fazal-Ur-Rehman
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: Azra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehmood
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wajid
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rauf
authors.forename: Shaheen N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Sheikh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riazuddin
mesh_terms: D053674:Aggrecans / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C508321:Acan protein, rat; D053674:Aggrecans; D000975:Antioxidants; C511513:COL2A1 protein, rat; D024042:Collagen Type I; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D024043:Collagen Type II; D009573:Nitrites; D011509:Proteoglycans; D014810:Vitamin E; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3