Monosodium iodoacetate induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway involving ROS production and caspase activation in rat chondrocytes in vitro

• Published in: Journal of orthopaedic research 2013-03, Vol.31 (3), p.364-369
• Main Authors: Jiang, Liping, Li, Longjie, Geng, Chengyan, Gong, Dezheng, Jiang, Lijie, Ishikawa, Nobuyuki, Kajima, Koji, Zhong, Laifu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcysteine - pharmacology; Animals; apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Apoptosis - physiology; Cartilage, Articular - cytology; Caspase 3 - metabolism; caspase-3; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chondrocytes - cytology; Chondrocytes - drug effects; Chondrocytes - metabolism; Cytochromes c - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Interactions; Enzyme Inhibitors - toxicity; Femur Head - cytology; Iodoacetates - toxicity; Male; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial - drug effects; Mitochondria - metabolism; mitochondrial membrane potential; monosodium iodoacetate; Osteoarthritis - chemically induced; Osteoarthritis - metabolism; Osteoarthritis - pathology; Primary Cell Culture; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism
• ISSN: 0736-0266; 1554-527X
• DOI: 10.1002/jor.22250

Monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) is an inhibitor of glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase activity, and causes dose‐dependent cartilage degradation resembling the pathological changes of human osteoarthritis (OA). In this study, we assessed the apoptosis induced by MIA and clarified the underlying mechanisms using the primary rat chondrocytes. The apoptosis of primary rat chondrocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were evaluated using fluorescence spectrophotometer. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by fluorescence spectrophotometer. Apoptosis‐related protein cytochrome c and procaspase‐3 expressions were examined by Western blotting. We found that MIA treatment induces apoptosis in chondrocytes, as confirmed by increases in the percent of apoptotic cells, up‐regulation of cytochrome c and caspase‐3 protein levels. Treatment with MIA increases ROS production and decreases the levels of ΔΨm. The antioxidant, N‐acetylcysteine (NAC), significantly prevented the production of ROS, the reduction of ΔΨm, the release of cytochrome c and the activation of caspase‐3. Further, NAC completely protected the cells from MIA‐induced apoptosis. Together these observations suggest that the mechanisms of MIA‐induced apoptosis are primarily via ROS production and mitochondria‐mediated caspase‐3 activation in primary rat chondrocytes. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31: 364–369, 2013