Tougu Xiaotong Capsule promotes repair of osteoarthritis cartilage damage in mice by activating the CXCL12/GDF5 pathway
10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2025.06.02
- VernacularTitle:透骨消痛胶囊通过激活CXCL12/GDF5通路修复骨关节炎小鼠的软骨损伤
- Author:
Changlong FU
1
;
Lu XU
;
Ruolan CHEN
;
Jinghang YANG
;
Yan LUO
;
Yanfeng HUANG
Author Information
1. 福建中医药大学中西医结合学院中西医结合研究院,福建 福州 350122;福建省中西医结合老年性疾病重点实验室,福建 福州 350122
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Tougu Xiaotong Capsule;
synovial mesenchymal stem cells;
cartilage damage;
CXCL12/GDF5 pathway
- From:
Journal of Southern Medical University
2025;45(6):1122-1130
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To explore the mechanism by which Tougu Xiaotong Capsule(TXC)promotes chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage repair in mice with osteoarthritis(OA).Methods Fifty 8-week-old male C57BL mice were randomly divided into normal control group,cartilage damage(induced by subchondral ring-shaped drilling)model group and TXC treatment groups at low,moderate and high doses(184,368 and 736 mg/kg,respectively).Saline(in normal control and model groups)and TXC were administered after modeling by daily gavage for 6 consecutive weeks.The changes of cartilage damage in the mice were assessed by measuring thermal withdrawal latency(TWL)and mechanical withdrawal threshold(MWT)and using micro-CT,modified safranine O and fast green staining,HE staining,and qPCR.Primary cultures of mouse synovial mesenchymal stem cells(SMSCs)with lentivirus vector transfection for interfering CXCL12,TXC treatment,or both for 24 h were examined for chondrogenic differentiation using immunofluorescence staining,scratch assay,immunocytochemistry,and Western blotting.Results In mouse models with cartilage damage,TXC treatment at the moderate dose significantly alleviated joint pain,promoted cartilage repair,and upregulated the mRNA expression levels of CXCL12,GDF5,collagen II,aggrecan,Comp and Sox9 in the cartilage tissue.In primary mouse SMSCs,CXCL12 knockdown resulted in significant reduction of GDF5 protein expression,migration ability and Sox9 protein expression,and these changes were obviously reversed by TXC treatment.Conclusion TXC promotes chondrogenic differentiation of mouse SMSCs to promote repair of cartilage damage in mice by activating the CXCL12/GDF5 pathway.
