OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of galangin on rheumatoid arthritis （RA） in rats by regulating the Janus kinase 3 （JAK3）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） pathway. METHODS Fifty male SD rats were taken， and an emulsion composed of bovine type Ⅱ collagen and Freund’s complete adjuvant was injected subcutaneously to establish an induced arthritis model. The rats that were successfully modeled were randomly divided into model group， low， medium and high dose groups of galangin （1， 5， 15 mg/kg）， and methotrexate group （positive control， 2 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Another 10 normal rats were taken as the normal group. Starting from the 15th day of modeling， each group of rats was gavaged with the corresponding drug solution or normal saline containing 0.5% Tween 80 once a day for 28 consecutive days. The arthritis index （AI） scores and paw volume of rats were compared before and after gavage administration. Twenty-four hours after the last administration， the serum levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， IL-4 and IL-10 were determined， the pathological changes in ankle joint synovial tissue were observed， and the protein expressions of UNC-51 like kinase 1 （ULK1）， Beclin-1， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）， B cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， caspase-3， JAK3， phosphorylated JAK3 （p-JAK3）， STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 （p-STAT3） in the synovial tissue of the ankle joint were detected， as well as the fluorescence intensity of LC3-positive areas. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the pathological changes such as cellular proliferation of ankle joint synovial tissue and infiltration of inflammatory cells in rats of each administration group showed improvement. Moreover， their AI scores and paw pad volumes （on day 28 after gavage）， the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α， the protein expression of Bcl-2， and the phosphorylation levels of JAK3 and STAT3 were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）. The levels of IL-4 and IL-10， the protein expressions of ULK1， Beclin-1， Bax， caspase-3 and LC3， as well as the fluorescence intensity of LC3-positive areas， were all significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. Moreover， the effect of galangin was in a dose-dependent manner （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Galangin can induce sustained autophagy in synovial tissue cells of RA rats， promote cell apoptosis， inhibit synovial cell proliferation， and alleviate persistent inflammatory responses. The above anti-RA effects may be related to the inhibition of the JAK3/STAT3 pathway.

Objective:To analyze the morphology and distribution characteristics of subchondral bone cysts of the talus by CT three-dimensional reconstruction.Methods:A total of 176 patients diagnosed with subchondral bone cyst of the talus after CT scan of the ankle or foot from 2015 to 2020 were retrieved from the imaging report database of Tianjin Hospital, including 77 males and 99 females, aged 14-84 years［(56.1±14.0)years］. After three-dimensional reconstruction of the talus and cyst area by Mimics 20.0 software, an equal 2×2 grid configuration was constructed to divide the domed articular surface into four regions: anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial and posterolateral. For subchondral cyst of the talus, area involved under grid localization, gender, age and side of the onset were recorded. The anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, depth, surface area and volume of the subchondral bone cyst of the talus were measured.Results:Subchondral cyst of the talus was anteromedial in 131 patients (74.4%), anterolateral in 5(2.8%), posteromedial in 34(19.3%), and posterolateral in 6(3.4%). Subchondral cyst of the talus occurred in the older aged (≥60 years) for 78 patients (44.3%), in the middle aged (45-59 years) for 62(35.2%), in young adults for 32(18.2%), and in preadolescents for 4(2.3%). The age composition of the subchondral cyst of the talus involving the anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial and posterolateral regions was 59(49, 64)years, 44(39, 45)years, 61(54, 68)years and 40(22, 58) years, respectively (all P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in gender and side of the onset (all P>0.05). The anteroposterior diameter of the subchondral bone cysts located anteromedially, anterolaterally, posteromedially and posterolaterally was (9.7±4.4)mm, (3.5±1.1)mm, (10.3±4.4)mm and (2.1±0.8)mm, respectively; the transverse diameter was (5.4±1.7)mm, (3.9±1.8)mm, (5.9±2.2)mm and (3.4±1.1)mm, respectively; the depth was (7.1±2.4)mm, (3.2±2.2)mm, (8.2±3.0)mm and (3.9±1.9)mm, respectively; the surface area was 156.1(82.6, 198.2)mm 2, 23.0(21.4, 28.9)mm 2, 180.0(75.1, 230.4)mm 2 and 28.0(20.3, 36.7)mm 2, respectively; the volume was 77.1(37.1, 129.1)mm 3, 23.9(14.2, 37.8)mm 3, 104.6(37.7, 157.4)mm 3 and 13.0(10.4, 16.0)mm 3, respectively. When comparing the anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, depth, surface area and volume of the subchondral bone cysts in the anteromedial and posteromedial regions with the anterolateral and posterolateral regions, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.01) except for the transverse diameter of the subchondral bone cysts in the anteromedial region and the anterolateral region ( P>0.05). In addition, the depth of subchondral bone cysts in the anteromedial region was significantly greater than that in the posteromedial region ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Subchondral bone cysts of the talar are commonly found in the middle- and old-aged population. Anteromedial lesions of the talar dome are the most commonly seen, with large and deeply involved cysts, followed by posteromedial lesions of the dome, while anterolateral and posterolateral lesions of the dome are less common and have smaller cyst sizes. An equal 2×2 grid configuration for talar cysts is useful in positioning and characterizing bone cysts, and can assist clinicians in accurately diagnosing and treating bone cysts.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; genetics ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cytoskeletal Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Eye Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mutation ; Ubiquinone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology