Effects of glucosamine hydrochloride combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on symptoms and HSS scores in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

To investigate the effects of glucosamine hydrochloride combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on symptoms and HSS scores in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Totally 80 cases of patients with KOA admitted to Cangzhou Hospital of integrated TCM-WM from February 2016 to December 2019 were selected and divided into the Control Group and Observation Group by Random Number Table Method, with 40 cases in each group. After treatment, the Observation Group tends to have lower VAS scores and WOMAC scores than the Control Group (P<0.05). The Observation Group tends to perform better than the Control Group on symptom improvement rate and HSS scores (P<0.05). The expression levels of related inflammatory factors and matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) are similar before and after treatment in the Control Group (P>0.05). The expression levels of related inflammatory factors and MMPs get lower after treatment in the Observation Group (P<0.05). The evaluation indexes and total scores of the Observation Group are better than those of the Control Group (P<0.05). Glucosamine hydrochloride combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs treatment could decrease the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, relieve knee pain and arthritis symptoms, improve knee function and improve the HSS scores in patients with KOA.

Effects of glucosamine hydrochloride combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on symptoms and HSS scores in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

To investigate the effects of glucosamine hydrochloride combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on symptoms and HSS scores in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Totally 80 cases of patients with KOA admitted to Cangzhou Hospital of integrated TCM-WM from February 2016 to December 2019 were selected and divided into the Control Group and Observation Group by Random Number Table Method, with 40 cases in each group. After treatment, the Observation Group tends to have lower VAS scores and WOMAC scores than the Control Group (P<0.05). The Observation Group tends to perform better than the Control Group on symptom improvement rate and HSS scores (P<0.05). The expression levels of related inflammatory factors and matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) are similar before and after treatment in the Control Group (P>0.05). The expression levels of related inflammatory factors and MMPs get lower after treatment in the Observation Group (P<0.05). The evaluation indexes and total scores of the Observation Group are better than those of the Control Group (P<0.05). Glucosamine hydrochloride combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs treatment could decrease the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, relieve knee pain and arthritis symptoms, improve knee function and improve the HSS scores in patients with KOA.

Value of Tranexamic Acid and Progressive Nursing in Accelerating Postoperative Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Context: Knee arthritis is the primary cause of disability in middle-aged and older adults. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is also a common treatment in clinics and has a remarkable effect on improving knee-joint function. However, TKA is an invasive procedure that includes a large amount of trauma. It can easily lead to an increase in perioperative blood loss coupled with a long operation time, which can increase the risk of postoperative complications, and also has a long recovery time. Objective: The study intended to analyze the value of tranexamic acid (TXA) plus progressive nursing in accelerating the postoperative rehabilitation of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Design: The research team designed a prospective non-randomized controlled trial. Setting: The study took place at Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - Western Medicine (WM) Hebei in Cangzhou, Hebei, China. Participants: Participants were 115 patients with knee arthritis who underwent TKA at the hospital between February 2019 and October 2021. Intervention: Of the 115 participants, 55 were assigned to the control group and received conventional nursing care, and 60 were assigned to the intervention group and after surgery received TXA plus progressive nursing. Outcome Measures: The study measured blood loss postoperatively and identified any complications that participants experienced during treatment. At baseline and postintervention, the study also measured knee-joint range of motion (ROM), and the participants completed the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee survey, the Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living (ADL), the Self-Rating Depression (SDS) and Self-Rating Anxiety (SAS) scales, a nursing-satisfaction survey, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Bref (WHO-QOL-BREF) survey. Results: Postoperatively, the blood loss in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in control group, and the knee joint ROM was significantly better in the intervention group (P < .05). In addition, the postoperative Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Barthel scores in the intervention group were significantly higher, and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with control group (P < .05). Moreover, a lower incidence of complications and better quality of life were determined for the intervention group (P < .05). Conclusions: Compared with conventional nursing, TXA plus progressive nursing can more effectively promote postoperative recovery of TKA patients; but the exact role of TXA and progressive nursing in TKA deserves further exploration.

Amiloride inhibits osteoclastogenesis by suppressing nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB-induced RAW264.7 cells.

Amiloride is widely used in clinical practice as a diuretic and is known to interact with the epithelial sodium channel and acid­sensing ion channel proteins, as well as Na+/H+ antiporters and Na+/Ca2+ exchangers. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of amiloride on receptor activator of nuclear factor­κB ligand (RANKL)­induced osteoclastogenesis and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms in the RAW264.7 murine macrophage cell line. The number of tartrate­resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)­positive multinucleated cells were counted and the bone resorption area was estimated. In addition the expression levels of nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1) mRNA and osteoclast­specific genes, including TRAP, matrix metalloproteinase 9, cathepsin K and osteoclast­associated receptor, were examined using reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The nuclear factor­κB (NF­κB) and mitogen­activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were also investigated using western blotting. The results showed that amiloride significantly reduced the number of TRAP­positive multinucleated cells as well as the bone resorption area. Amiloride also downregulated the expression of NFATc1 mRNA and inhibited the expression of osteoclast­specific genes. A possible underlying mechanism may be that amiloride suppresses the degradation of the inhibitor of NF­κB and blocks the activation of c­Jun N­terminal kinase, extracellular signal­regulated kinase and p38, thus implicating the NF­κB and MAPK pathway is this process. In conclusion, the current data suggest that amiloride is a strong inhibitor of osteoclast differentiation, indicating a novel indication for amiloride in the treatment of bone­loss­related diseases.

Expression and localization of TASK-1, -2 and -3 channels in MG63 human osteoblast-like cells.

It is well known that a number of ion channels are involved in the proliferation, migration and invasion of tumor cells. TASK channels, an acid-sensitive subgroup of the two-pore-domain K(+) channel (K2P) family, are expressed in numerous types of tissue and exhibit various physiological functions depending on the cell type. In the present study, we employed RT-PCR and western blot analysis to determine the expression of TASK-1, -2 and -3 at the mRNA and protein levels in MG63 human osteoblast-like cells. Immunofluorescence with specific antibodies against the TASK channels revealed the localization patterns at the plasma membrane and the juxtanuclear compartment. The induced fluctuations in the extracellular pH from 7.4 to 6.9 and to 6.4 significantly reduced the proliferation rate of MG63 cells by 44.3 and 90.1%, respectively. These data revealed the expression of TASK-1, -2 and -3, and the correlation between TASK channels and cell proliferation in MG63 cells, suggesting that these channels may be involved in the tumorigenesis of osteosarcoma.

17ß-Estradiol inhibits outward voltage-gated K⁺ currents in human osteoblast-like MG63 cells.

Previous studies have shown that 17ß-estradiol has a pivotal function by blocking voltage-gated K⁺ (Kv) channels in several different types of cells such as cardiac myocytes and neurons. Outward Kv currents can also be measured in osteoblasts, although little is known about the effects of 17ß-estradiol on these currents. In human osteoblast-like MG63 cells, we found that 17ß-estradiol inhibits peak and end Kv currents, with IC50 values of 480 and 325 nM, respectively. To elucidate the mechanism of inhibition, the kinetics of Kv currents were investigated. The half-maximum activation potential (V(½)) was 1.3 mV and was shifted left to -4.4 mV after application of 500 nM 17ß-estradiol. For steady-state inactivation, the V(½) was -55.0 mV and weakly shifted left to -58.2 mV. To identify the molecular basis of outward Kv currents in MG63 cells, we performed RT-PCR analyses. The expression of Kv2.1 channels appeared to dominate over that of other Kv channels in MG63 cells. In COS-7 cells with heterologously expressed Kv2.1 channels, 17ß-estradiol also inhibits macroscopic currents of Kv2.1. Our data indicate that 17ß-estradiol inhibits Kv currents in human osteoblast-like MG63 cells and that Kv2.1 is a potential molecular correlate of outward Kv currents in these cells.

Synthesis and characterization of UPPE-PLGA-rhBMP2 scaffolds for bone regeneration.

A novel unsaturated polyphosphoester (UPPE) was devised in our previous research, which is a kind of promising scaffold for improving bone regeneration. However, the polymerization process of UPPE scaffolds was unfavorable, which may adversely affect the bioactivity of osteoinductive molecules added if necessary, such as recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP2). The purpose of this study was to build a kind of optimal scaffold named UPPE-PLGA-rhBMP2 (UPB) and to investigate the bioactivity of rhBMP2 in this scaffold. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of UPB scaffold was assessed in vitro. A W1/O/W2 method was used to fabricate PLGA-rhBMP2 microspheres, and then the microspheres were added to UPPE for synthesizing UPB scaffold. The morphological characters of PLGA-rhBMP2 microspheres and UPB scaffolds were observed under the scanning electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy. The cumulative release of UPB scaffolds was detected by using ELISA. The cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of UPB scaffolds were evaluated through examining the adsorption and apoptosis of bone marrow stromal cells (bMSCs) seeded on the surface of UPB scaffolds. The bioactivity of rhBMP2 in UPB scaffolds was assessed through measuring the alkaline phosphates (ALP) activity in bMSCs seeded. The results showed that UPB scaffolds sequentially exhibited burst and sustained release of rhBMP2. The cytotoxicity was greatly reduced when the scaffolds were immersed in buffer solution for 2 h. bMSCs attached and grew on the surface of soaked UPB scaffolds, exerting well biocompatibility. The ALP activity of bMSCs seeded was significantly enhanced, indicating that the bioactivity of rhBMP2 remained and still took effect after the unfavorable polymerization process of scaffolds. It was concluded that UPB scaffolds have low cytotoxicity, good biocompatibility and preserve bioactivity of rhBMP2. UPB scaffolds are promising in improving bone regeneration.