Table 3.
Inhibition of Proteoglycan Synthesis and Percentage of Apoptotic Cells under the Influence of MNCs plus RBCs and Whole Blood with or without Caspase Inhibitors
| PG synthesis | ssDNA | TUNEL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 4 | Day 16 | Day 4 | Day 16 | Day 4 | Day 16 | |
| Control | 15.5 ± 5.0 | 14.1 ± 6.0 | 3 ± 1 | 5 ± 2 | 12 ± 2 | 16 ± 1 |
| MNC + RBC | 1.2 ± 0.1* | 4.5 ± 2.4* | 8 ± 2* | 5 ± 2 | 33 ± 1* | 28 ± 3* |
| +DEVD | 1.0 ± 0.5 | 8.9 ± 4.6† | 4 ± 1† | 1 ± 1 | 20 ± 3† | 18 ± 1† |
| +zVAD | 1.4 ± 0.6 | 10.4 ± 6.7† | 4 ± 1† | 2 ± 1 | 16 ± 3† | 18 ± 1† |
| Whole blood | 0.8 ± 0.1* | 3.5 ± 1.7* | 8 ± 2* | 11 ± 4 | 38 ± 2* | 26 ± 3* |
| +DEVD | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 6.1 ± 2.8† | 5 ± 1† | 3 ± 1 | 26 ± 4† | 21 ± 2† |
| +zVAD | 0.7 ± 0.2 | 6.3 ± 2.8† | 4 ± 1† | 3 ± 1 | 25 ± 3† | 26 ± 3† |
Cartilage tissue of two donors was scored each by two independent observers, blind to the culture condition of cartilage.
*A statistically significant decrease in proteoglycan synthesis and a significant increase in number of apoptotic chondrocytes in cartilage that has been exposed for 4 days to either 50% whole blood or MNCs plus RBCs, at day 4 and after a 12-day recovery period (P < 0.05). Note that at day 16, no significant effect of blood or MNCs plus RBCs was found on ssDNA staining.
†A statistically significant recovery of proteoglycan synthesis (increase) and percentage of apoptotic chondrocyte (decrease).