Seahorse Protein Hydrolysate Ameliorates Proinflammatory Mediators and Cartilage Degradation on Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis with an Obesity Rat Model

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the age-related diseases and is highly present on the knees. Obesity and mechanical injuries as a risk factor of OA are attributed to cartilage disintegration, joint loading, and inflammation. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of seahorse protein hydrolysate (SH) on posttraumatic osteoarthritis in an obesity rat. The OA model was developed by anterior cruciate ligament transection with medial meniscectomy in a high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced obesity rat model. The male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a HFD for 6 weeks before OA surgery. The OA rats were treated with oral gavage by 4, 8, or 20 mg/kg of body weight of SH for 6 weeks of treatment. The expressions of plasma proinflammatory factors, C-telopeptide of type II collagen, and matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 3 and MMP-13 were reduced by SH treatment. Plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were enhanced by SH. SH also relieved the pain of the knee joint and swelling as well as decreased proteoglycan loss in the knee articular cartilage caused by osteoarthritis. Based on these results, SH suppressed proinflammatory factors and attenuated cartilage degradation and pain in the OA model. Therefore, seahorse protein hydrolysate might be a potential opportunity for improving the development of osteoarthritis.

Figure 1

The flowchart of seahorse hydrolysate (SH) treatment on an anterior cruciate ligament transection with medial meniscectomy- (ACLT+MMx-) induced osteoarthritis (OA) in high-fat diet-induced obese (OB) rat models.

Figure 2

Effects of seahorse hydrolysate treatment on plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), leptin, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels in anterior cruciate ligament transection with medial meniscectomy surgery-induced osteoarthritis in high fat diet-induced obesity rats. Data were shown as the mean ± SD (n = 7). The values with different letters (a–d) represent significantly different (p < 0.05) as analyzed by Duncan's multiple range test.

Figure 3

Effects of seahorse hydrolysate treatment on plasma antioxidant activity and oxidative stress markers in anterior cruciate ligament transection on medial meniscectomy surgery-induced osteoarthritis in high fat diet-induced obesity rats. Data were shown as the mean ± SD (n = 7). The values with different letters (a–c) represent significantly different (p < 0.05) as analyzed by Duncan's multiple range test. GPx: glutathione peroxidase; MDA: malondialdehyde; NO: nitric oxide; SOD: superoxide dismutase.

Figure 4

Effects of seahorse hydrolysate treatment on plasma matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 3, MMP-13, and C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) level in anterior cruciate ligament transection on medial meniscectomy surgery-induced osteoarthritis in high fat diet-induced obesity rats. Data were shown as the mean ± SD (n = 7). The values with different letters (a–c) represent significantly different (p < 0.05) as analyzed by Duncan's multiple range test.

Figure 5

Representative of operated-knee joint cartilage with Safranin-O staining for each group after 6 weeks of treatment. Cartilage (orange to red) and nuclei (black).