Research of expression and significance of Bak, Fas in articular cartilage and synovium of osteoarthritic animal model

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of Bak, Fas in articular cartilage and synovium of osteoarthritic animal model. Methods The left knees of 24 rabbits were immobilized in full extension using plaster cast. Immunohistochemistry and TUNEL assay was used to detect the expression of Bak, Fas proteins in articular cartilage and synovium and the apoptosis of the articular chondrocytes and synovial cell of animal model. Results The positive expression rat of Bak and Fas protein in osteoarthritic chondrocytes were higher than that in normal synovium (P 0.05). There were positive correlation between degrees of the expression of Bak/Fas and chondrocytes apoptosis in osteoarthritic articular cartilage (P 0.05). Conclusion There was a consanguineous correlation between degrees of the expression of Bak, Fas and chondrocytes apoptosis in osteoarthritic articular cartilage. It demonstrated that the abnormal expression of Bak, Fas closely related to the biological behaveior of OA such as occurrence, progress, et al.