title: Chitosan oligosaccharides inhibit IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis via the P38 MAPK signaling pathway.
abstract: The preventive and therapeutic effects of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on osteoarthritis (OA) have been rarely investigated. In this study, the protective effects of COS against IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis were evaluated and the underlying mechanisms were elucidated. Results showed that COS not only inhibited cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner but also ameliorated IL-1β-induced nuclear chromatin damage and mitochondrial membrane potential in chondrocytes. In IL-1β-treated chondrocytes, COS downregulated the expression of Bax and caspase-3 but upregulated the expression of Bcl-2 by inhibiting the phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). COS inhibited the mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) and enhanced the mRNA expression of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1). These results suggested that COS effectively inhibits the IL-1β-induced apoptosis of chondrocytes by activating the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. COS may also be used as a unique biological agent to prevent and treat OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China. shiqingliu@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shi-Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C494828:Bax protein, rat; C000617196:Bcl2 protein, rat; C000594089:IL1B protein, rat; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C576839:TIMP1 protein, rat; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D048271:Chitosan; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13; C507083:Mmp13 protein, rat
keywords: Apoptosis; Chitosan oligosaccharide; Chondrocytes; Interleukin-1β; Matrix metalloproteinase; Osteoarthritis