The effects of sodium hyaluronate on matrix metalloproteinase-1, -3 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 mRNA expression in cartilage and synovium of osteoarthritis rabbits

Objective To observe the influence of intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate (HA) on mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -1, -3 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 in cartilage and synovium of osteoarthritis (OA) . Methods Sixteen white rabbits underwent unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection and were divided into 2 groups randomly 5 weeks after transection. Experimental group rabbits received 0.3 ml of intra-articular 1% HA injection once a week. Animals in control group were treated under the same condition using saline. At death, 10 weeks following surgery, histological changes of articular cartilage of medial femoral condyle were evaluated by microscopy. The mRNA expression of MMP-1, MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in cartilage and synovium was analyzed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) . Results Cartilage degradation in experimental group was significantly less severe than that in the control group. The expression of MMP-3 mRNA in synovium was significantly suppressed in experimental group compared with the control group (0.40±0.10 vs 0.62±0.13). HA treatment had no effect on MMP-3 expression in cartilage. No significant difference of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 expression in cartilage and synovium was found between experimental group and control group. Conclusion HA can alleviate the degeneration of articular cartilage of OA. One possible mechanism of the therapeutic effect of HA may be inhibition of expression of MMP-3 in synovium during early stage of OA.