EXPRESSION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR IN ARTICULAR CARTILAGE AND SUBCHONDRAL BONE IN OSTEOARTHRITIS (EXPERIMENTAL STUDY)

Yakovenchuk N. N.

MORPHOLOGY

Scentific article

The pathogenesis of disorders in articular cartilage is considered in unity with the state of the subchondral bone. In the field of view of the researchers is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is an important mediator of endochondral ossification; development and growth of the skeleton. The aim of the study was to study the expression of VEGF by articular cartilage chondrocytes and osteocytes of the rat knee joint subchondral bone under conditions of osteoarthrosis modeling by ovariectomy. Object and methods. The experiment was conducted on 12 laboratory rats. The method of ovariectomy is used, since it is known that along with the development of osteoporosis in animals’ arthrosis develops. The histological study of knee joint condition in animals after ovariectomy was performed for the determination of changes in the joint with subsequent evaluation of VEGF by immunohistochemical study. The knee joints of healthy rats were used as a control for an immunohistochemical reaction. Results. By histological examination it is established that after 3 months in rats after ovariectomy in the articular cartilage of the knee joint (of the femur and tibia), histopathological changes occurred. First of all, we observed a weakly pronounced fibrillation of articular cartilage matrix, which most manifested itself in the medial part of the femur; reduced chondrocyte density and disturbance in their distribution in articular cartilage zones. It has been established that at early stages of development of arthritic changes in articular cartilage, chondrocytes have positive VEGF immunoreactivity in all areas of articular cartilage, in contrast to control animals in which VEGF is detected only in the area of hypertrophied cartilage. In the study of the subchondral bone, it was found that only single osteocytes had positive VEGF immunoreactivity. Basically, an increased density of cells that express VEGF is found in the bone marrow cavities, where multipotent progenitor cells of chondrocytes, osteoblasts, endothelial cells, etc. are located. Since VEGF reflects vascular invasion, it shows an imbalance of bone-cartilage interaction at early stages of development osteoarthritis. Conclusion. On the basis of immunohistochemical research it was determined that in conditions of osteoarthritis, expression of VEGF is observed in cells of all zones of articular cartilage. The level of VEGF expression is low in subchondral bone. Understanding the importance of the relationship between articular cartilage and subchondral bone through the system of VEGF in conditions of arthrosis will enhance the knowledge about the mechanisms of development of disorders and will contribute to the improvement of pathogenetic approaches in the conservative treatment strategy.

vascular endothelial growth factor, osteoarthritis modeling, knee joint, articular cartilage, subchondral bone

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«Bulletin of problems biology and medicine» Issue 1 Part 2 (149), 2019 year, 313-316 pages, index UDK 616.72-007.248

10.29254/2077-4214-2019-1-2-149-313-316