What Researchers Did
Scientists tested whether hyperbaric oxygen affects a molecular signaling pathway in human osteoarthritic cartilage cells and in rabbit cartilage.
What They Found
This laboratory study found that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) increased miR-107 and suppressed HMGB-1 in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes. HBO also decreased mRNA and protein levels of HMGB-1, RAGE, TLR2, TLR4, and iNOS, reduced HMGB-1 secretion, decreased nuclear translocation of NF-kB, lowered MAPK phosphorylation, and decreased secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs, specific types not identified in the abstract). In rabbit cartilage defects, HBO-treated tissue showed enhanced cartilage repair and lower staining for HMGB-1 and iNOS compared to untreated tissue.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The findings come from cell-culture experiments and a rabbit cartilage-defect model rather than human clinical trials, so it is not known whether these cellular effects would occur in people with osteoarthritis.