Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To analyze the active components of Xibining and its pathological mechanism of cartilage protective effect by interfering with metabolic factors in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) model rats using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS) technique.
METHODS The water extract of Xibining was prepared and the active components were analyzed by UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS. Rats were divided into blank group, KOA group and Xibining group. Cartilage tissue was extracted, and the structure and morphology of the tissue were observed by HE staining and Safranin O staining. The qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), PPARγ co-activator-1α (PGC1α) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3, MMP13, which were representative matrix metalloproteinases of cartilage degradation. Besides, the serum of each group was collected to complete the metabonomics analysis.
RESULTS A total of 56 active components were identified in Xibining. Histological sections suggested that Xibining had a protective effect on cartilage, and could up-regulate the gene and protein expression levels of PPARγ and PGC1α, and decrease the gene and protein expression of MMP3 and MMP13 in cartilage tissue of KOA rats. In addition, Xibining had intervention effects on 13 different metabolites of KOA, involving 10 metabolic pathways.
CONCLUSION Xibining has a cartilage protective effect of KOA, the mechanism of which may be related to the metabolic regulation of KOA by its active substance.