Figure 5.

The mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the articular cartilage after 21 days of intra-articular injection of monoiodoacetate (MIA) Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were divided into four groups: (1) MIA injection into the knee joint and fed a high-fat diet containing 0.23% rice + 0.018% AFR diet (RAFR-L). (2) MIA injection into the knee joint and fed a high-fat diet containing 0.69% rice + 0.053% AFR diet (RAFR-H), (3) MIA injection into the knee joint and fed a high-fat diet containing 0.053% cellulose (OA-control). (4) saline injection into the knee joint and fed a high-fat diet containing 0.053% cellulose (non-OA control). Sham rats had the same diet as the control and received a saline injection (normal-control). At the beginning of the eighth week, an articular injection of monoiodoacetate into the right knee was performed in all OVX groups except the normal-control group, and the assigned diets were provided for an additional three weeks. The mRNA expression of MMP-13 and MMP-13 involved in collagen degradation (A) and the cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) that result in inflammation (B) were measured via real-time PCR. Serum proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) were measured by ELISA (C). Each bar and error bar represents the mean ± SD (n = 6). ^a,b,c,d,e Different letters indicate significant differences in the treatment groups of OVX rats at each time point identified by Tukey’s test at p < 0.05.