Objective To explore the effect of Zhengu Pills ( a kidney-tonifying and blood-activating Chinese medicine) and Guci Fengshi Pills ( a dampness-dispelling and blood-activating Chinese medicine) on bone remodeling of cell model in vitro. Methods MC3T3-E1 and RAW264.7 cells were differentiated into osteoblasts ( OB) and osteoclasts ( OC) after stimulated by different inductive agents respectively, and then OB and OC were co-cultured. Immunocytochemical staining was applied to identify the construction of co-cultured OB and OC system. The serum containing corresponding medicine was prepared after the rats were given intragastric administration of Diacerein, Zhengu Pills and Guci Fengshi Pills. And then the obtained serum was used for treatment of co-cultured cells separately. At the end of experiment, Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were carried out. Results The osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression was increased and gene expression of glycoprotein 130 (gp130) was decreased in co-cultured cells after treatment with the serum containing Zhengu Pills and Guci Fengshi Pills ( P<0.05) . Conclusion Zhengu Pills and Guci Fengshi Pills have therapeutic effects on osteoarthritis ( OA) by inhibiting the bone resorption function of OC by the down-regulation of gp130 and by enhancing bone formation and increasing the bone density through recombinant murine’s RANK ligand (RANKL) -RANK-OPG system.

Objective To compare the biological characteristics of eyeballs between Zmu-1:DHP and DHP guinea pigs,and to explore the retinal mechanism of myopia in Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs. Methods To measure the refraction, corneal curvature and axial length of the two guinea pig strains at age of 4-12 weeks. Those spontaneous myopic Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs were chosen to take the retina for pathological examination. The pathological changes in the retina were determined and compared with the DHP guinea pigs. The expression of RALDH, ALDHTH, TH, TK, iNOS, nNOS, bFGF and TGFβ mRNA in the retina were detected by real time-PCR. Results The myopic rate of 3-week old Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs was 90.21%,while of the DHP guinea pig was only 18.00%. From 4 to 12 weeks, compared with the DHP guinea pigs,myopia and axial length of the Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the corneal curvature of Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs was significantly less than the DHP guinea pigs(P<0.01). The retina outer nuclear layer of Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs was reduced in thickness,the cell volume was smaller,and the cell number was less compared with the DHP guinea pigs. The choroid of Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs showed atrophy and became thinner. There were few pigment granules in the pigment epithelium of Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs,while there were plenty of pigment granules in the DHP guinea pigs. Compared with the DHP guinea pigs,the expression of TH mRNA was significantly down-regulated in the retina of Zmu-1:DHP guinea pigs(P<0.01),and the expression of TK,iNOS,nNOS,bFGF and TGFβ was significantly down-regulated(P<0.01, P <0.05, P <0.05, P <0.05, P <0.05). Conclusions Zmu-1:DHP strain guinea pig has a high rate of spontaneous axial myopia. The retinal mechanism of myopia has a relationship with the regulation of several myopia factors.

BACKGROUNDOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of human polyarthritis. Many genetic factors have been implicated in OA. It was reported that a polymorphism in the gene of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was associated with OA of knee. The aim of this study was to determine whether functional IL-6 promoter -174G/C (rs1800795) polymorphisms confer susceptibility to knee OA.

METHODSA meta-analysis was conducted on the association between the IL-6 polymorphism and knee OA. Electronic search at PubMed, EMBASE, Weipu database, and Wanfang database was conducted to select studies. Case-control studies containing available genotype frequencies of IL-6 -174G/C were chosen, and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of this association.

RESULTSA total of seven studies involving 6 464 subjects (knee OA 3 331 and controls 3 133) were considered in this study. The results suggested that the variant genotypes were not associated with knee OA risk in all genetic models (additive model: OR = 1.144, 95% CI 0.934-1.402, P = 0.194; recessive model: OR = 1.113, 95% CI 0.799-1.550, P = 0.526; dominant model: OR = 1.186, 95% CI 0.918-1.531, P = 0.191). A symmetric funnel plot, the Begg's test (P > 0.05), suggested that the data lacked publication bias.

CONCLUSIONSThis meta-analysis does not support the idea that rs1800795 genotype is associated with increased risk of knee OA. However, to draw comprehensive and more reliable conclusions, further prospective studies with larger numbers of participants worldwide are needed to examine the association between rs1800795 polymorphism and knee OA.

Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics