[The therapeutic effects of Yougui pill on knee osteoarthritis and the expression of Wnt signal pathway related factors in rats].

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of Yougui pill (Traditional Chinese Medicine) on the related factors of Wnt signal pathway of rats with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and explore its protective mechanism.

METHODS: Sixty SPF SD rats were randomly divided into the sham-operative group, model group, glucosamine sulfate group, high-dose, middle-dose, low-dose of Yougui pill treated group ( n =10). KOA model was established by modified Hulth method for six weeks. The rats in the high, middle and low-dose of Yougui pill group were treated with Yougui pills at the doses of 20,10 and 5 g/kg respectively by gastrogavage once a day for 8 weeks, while equal volume of normal saline was given to those in the sham and model control group and an equal volume of glucosamine sulfate (1.7 g/kg·d) was given to those in glucosamine sulfate group for 8 weeks. The knee joint was removed after the last dose of drug. The pathological changes of cartilaginous tissues were observed under a microscope. The mRNA levels of Dickkopf homolog 1(DKK1), Wnt induced secreted protein 1(WISP1), Wnt1, low density lipoprotein receptor related protein 5(LRP5) and beta -catenin in rats cartilaginous tissues were analyzed by using RT-PCR method, and the protein contents of DKK1, WISP1, Wnt1, LRP5 and beta-catenin in cartilaginous tissues were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, the articular cartilage was severely damaged, the Mankin score was increased significantly ( P <0. 05), the mRNA and protein expression levels of DKK1 in cartilaginous tissue were markedly decreased( P <0.05), while those of WISP, Wnt1, LRP5 and beta-catenin were increased significantly in model group( P <0.05). Compared with model group, the articular cartilage lesions was light ( P <0.05), the Mankin Score was decreased significantly( P <0.05), and the mRNA and protein levels of DKK1 in cartilaginous tissue were increased( P <0.05), while those of WISP, Wnt1, LRP5 and beta-catenin were decreased in Yougui pill high-dose group and glucosamine sulfate group ( P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Yougui pill has protective effects on the KOA by inhibiting the expressions of WISP, Wnt1, LRP5, beta-catenin and increasing the expression of DKK1 cytokine in the Wnt signaling pathway.