Table 2.

Histologic examination scores, CTX-II and TNFα levels

	Synovities score (0–3)	Bone erosion score (0–3)	Cartilage destruction score (0–3)	Serum CTX-II (pg/mL)	Knee TNFα (pg/mL)	TNFα + cells (%)
Group 1	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.98±1.21	7.19±0.36	30.53±2.59
Group 2	3.00±0.01	3.00±0.01	2.94±0.06	8.90a±1.27	13.08b±0.80	64.48c±3.11
Group 3	2.68±0.31	2.56d±0.20	2.50±0.25	8.68±2.50	10.38d±0.77	61.05±4.36
Group 4	1.93d±0.37	1.81e±0.38	1.56e±0.44	3.67d±1.15	9.78d±0.90	33.04f±5.14
Group 5	2.98g±0.01	2.66±0.33	2.33±0.33	8.80±2.80	11.39±1.34	63.08h±3.74

Notes: Group 1: normal control; group 2: CAIA control; group 3: CH-DEAE₁₅/siRNA-TNFα–treated mice; group 4: folate-PEG-CH-DEAE₁₅/siRNA-TNFα–treated mice; group 5: siRNA-TNFα–treated mice. The data are expressed as means ± SEM. Groups 1–4: eight mice each; group 5: five mice.

^aP<0.05 compared to normal mice.

^bP<0.01 compared to normal mice.

^cP<0.001 compared to normal mice.

^dP<0.05 compared to CAIA mice.

^eP<0.01 compared to CAIA mice.

^fP<0.001 compared to CAIA mice.

^gP<0.05 compared to group 4.

^hP<0.001 compared to group 4.

Abbreviations: CAIA, collagen antibody-induced arthritis; CH, chitosan; CTX-II, C-terminal telopeptide type II collagen; DEAE, diethylethylamine; PEG, polyethylene glycol; SEM, standard error of the means; TNFα, tumor necrosis factor-alpha.