Figure 1.

Combinatorial gene therapy preserves articular cartilage in a severe model of posttraumatic OA. Joints were collected 2.5 months after CLT surgery and analyzed by phase-contrast microCT. (A) Representative images of the medial compartment of the joint from each experimental group. Red volumes represent articular cartilage. (B) Medial cartilage volume is preserved only in joints treated with combinatorial therapy, whereas joints treated with HDV-EF1-Prg4 and HDV-NFκB-IL-1ra monotherapies have significantly lost cartilage volume. (C) Surface area of bone covered by cartilage is decreased in all surgical groups; however, joints of groups treated with combinatorial therapy and IL-1ra monotherapy retain significantly more surface area than did the untreated joints. Data are represented by min-to-max box and whisker plots. n = 3 (PBS, sham), 4 (IL-1Ra, PRG4), 5 (combinatorial). *p < 0.05 ANOVA. Scale bar, 1mm. OA, osteoarthritis; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline.