养血柔筋方联合有氧运动调控SDF-1/CXCR4通路对兔膝骨关节炎模型炎症及软骨代谢的影响

Objective To investigate the effects of Yangxue Roujin formula combined with aerobic exercise on inflammation and cartilage metabolism in a rabbit knee osteoarthritis (KOA) model by regulating the stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) pathway. Methods New Zealand rabbits were used to establish a KOA model by injecting papain into the knee joint cavity. They were randomly separated into model group, Yangxue Roujin formula group, aerobic exercise group, Yangxue Roujin formula+aerobic exercise group, and celecoxib group, with 10 rabbits in each group. Another 10 New Zealand rabbits were collected as the control group. After grouping and intervention treatment, toluidine blue (TB) staining was applied to detect the pathological morphology of knee joint cartilage tissue of rabbits in each group and Mankin scoring was performed; scanning electron microscopy was applied to detect the morphology of knee joint cartilage in each group; immunohistochemical staining was applied to detect the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and collagen type II (Col-II) in the cartilage tissue of rabbit knee joints in each group; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to measure the levels of inflammatory factors such as interleukin-17 (IL-17), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-6, and IL-18 in the serum and knee joint fluid of rabbits in each group; immunoblotting was applied to detect the expression of SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway related proteins in rabbit knee joint cartilage tissue in each group. Results Compared with the control group, the rabbit knee joint cartilage in the model group was obviously damaged, the Mankin score and MMP13 positive expression in knee cartilage tissue, serum and knee joint fluid IL-17, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-18 levels, and SDF-1 and CXCR4 protein expression in cartilage tissue were obviously increased (P<0.05), the Col- positive expression was obviously reduced (P<0.05); compared with the model group, the Yangxue Roujin formula group, aerobic exercise group, Yangxue Roujin formula+aerobic exercise group, and celecoxib group all showed reduced cartilage damage in the rabbit knee joint, the Mankin score and MMP13 positive expression in knee cartilage tissue, serum and knee joint fluid IL-17, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-18 levels, and SDF-1 and CXCR4 protein expression in cartilage tissue were obviously reduced (P<0.05), the Col- positive expression was obviously increased (P<0.05); compared with the Yangxue Roujin formula group and the aerobic exercise group, the Yangxue Roujin formula+aerobic exercise group and the Celecoxib group all showed a reduction in rabbit knee joint cartilage damage, the Mankin score and MMP13 positive expression in knee cartilage tissue, serum and knee joint fluid IL-17, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-18 levels, and SDF-1 and CXCR4 protein expression in cartilage tissue were obviously reduced (P<0.05), the Col- positive expression was obviously increased (P<0.05). Conclusion The Yangxue Roujin formula and aerobic exercise can down-regulate the expression of SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway proteins, inhibit the release of inflammatory factors, thereby reducing knee joint inflammation in KOA rabbits, improving cartilage metabolism, alleviating collagen degradation and tissue degeneration in knee joint cartilage. The two have a synergistic effect.