Differential proteomics of the synovial membrane between bilateral and unilateral knee osteoarthritis in surgery-induced rabbit models

Abstract

The present study investigated the differential proteomics of synovial membranes between bilateral and unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), in order to elucidate the pathological biomarkers of different degrees of KOA. A total of 6 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into groups A and B (three rabbits per group). The two groups were subjected to bilateral and unilateral ACLT, respectively. A total of 6 weeks following surgery, proteins were extracted from the knee joint synovial membranes of KOA rabbits and were separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The differentially expressed proteins in the OA synovial membranes were selected for further analysis by linear ion trap-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Ten protein spots were identified to be different between the synovial membranes of the bilateral and unilateral KOA rabbits. Protein disulfide-isomerase and creatine kinase M-type were identified in the unilateral KOA rabbit synovial membranes. Serum albumin (three spots), lumican, α-2-HS-glycoprotein and three uncharacterized proteins were identified in the synovial membranes of the bilateral KOA rabbits. The differential proteomic expression demonstrated the different biomarkers associated with bilateral and unilateral KOA, and indicated that spontaneous and secondary KOA require diverse methods of treatment; thus the underlying mechanism of KOA requires further investigation.