The analysis between degeneration of chondrocytes in Osteoarthritis and DNA repair enzyme APEX2.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24592286
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: St. Marianna University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: YUI NAOKO 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (20266696)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YUDOH Kazuo 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (60272928) ; KARASAWA Rie 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学研究科, 講師 (50424410)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 変形性関節症 / 軟骨細胞 / ＤＮＡ修復酵素 / 酸化ストレス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Apex 2　plays a critical role in DNA　repair caused by oxidative damage in a variety of human somatic cells. We speculated　that chondrocyte Apex 2 may protect against the catabolic process of articular cartilage in　osteoarthritis (OA). Higher levels of Apex 2 expression were histologically observed in　severely compared with mildly degenerated OA cartilage from STR/OrtCrlj mice, The immunopositivity of Apex 2　was significantly correlated with the degree of cartilage degeneration. Moreover, interleukin-1β induced the expression of Apex 2 in　chondrocytes, while Apex 2 silencing using small interfering RNA reduced chondrocyte　activity in vitro. Our findings suggest that Apex 2 may have the potential to prevent the catabolic stress-mediated down-regulation of chondrocyte activity in OA.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学