title: Effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on integrin-FAK-PI3K/Akt mechanochemical transduction in rabbit osteoarthritis chondrocytes.
abstract: The effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on extracellular matrix (ECM) production via modulation of the integrin/focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway has been investigated in previous studies in normal chondrocytes, but not in osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, we investigated the LIPUS-induced integrin β1/FAK/PI3K/Akt mechanochemical transduction pathway in a single study in rabbit OA chondrocytes. Normal and OA chondrocytes were exposed to LIPUS, and mRNA and protein expression of cartilage, metalloproteinases and integrin-FAK-PI3K/Akt signal pathway-related genes was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. Compared with levels in normal chondrocytes, expression levels of ECM-related genes were significantly lower in OA chondrocytes and those of metalloproteinase-related genes were significantly higher. In addition, integrin β1 gene expression and the phosphorylation of FAK, PI3K and Akt were significantly higher in OA chondrocytes. The expression of all tested genes was significantly increased except for that of metalloproteinase, which was significantly decreased in the LIPUS-treated OA group compared to the untreated OA group. LIPUS may affect the integrin-FAK-PI3K/Akt mechanochemical transduction pathway and alter ECM production by OA chondrocytes. Our findings will aid the future development of a treatment or even cure for OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Shihao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Mingxia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Shasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: Lixueping6504@163.com.
authors.forename: Xueping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019220:High-Energy Shock Waves; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013010:Sonication / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019012:Integrin beta1; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
keywords: Chondrocytes; Focal adhesion kinase; Integrin; Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound; Osteoarthritis; Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase