RESUMEN
The present study aimed to investigate the function and possible underlying mechanism of various concentrations of visceral adipose tissuederived serine protease inhibitor (vaspin) on leptininduced inflammatory and metabolic responses in rat chondrocytes. Rat articular chondrocytes were isolated and treated with different concentrations of vaspin, which was followed by stimulation with leptin. The expression of genes, secretion of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factorα, and activation of the nuclear factor (NF)κB pathway were analyzed by reverse transcriptionquantitative polymerase chain reaction, ELISA and western blotting. The results demonstrated that vaspin inhibited the leptininduced upregulated gene expression levels of leptin receptor (OBRb), a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS)4, ADAMTS5, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9, and the secretion of NO and TNFα, in a dosedependent manner. The phosphorylation of inhibitor of NFκB (IκB), IκB kinase (IKK)α, IKKß and NFκB were also promoted by leptin in the chondrocytes, which were also suppressed by increased concentration of vaspin. Taken together, results demonstrated that vaspin prevented leptininduced inflammation and catabolism by inhibiting the activation of NFκB in rat chondrocytes.