TGF-β1 expression in adults with non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Abstract

Non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (NONFH) is a common clinical osteoarthropathy. The present study aimed to investigate the association between transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and NONFH. Femoral head specimens were collected from patients with NONFH. Patients with traumatic osteonecrosis served as the control. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to visualize the bone tissue architecture. Immunohistochemistry and densitometry were performed to quantify TGF-β1 expression in tissues. Flow cytometry was used to detect cluster of differentiation (CD)3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells, and the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood. H&E staining revealed osteonecrosis, disintegration of osteocytes with karyopyknosis and karyorrhexis, loss of osteocyte lacunae, aberrantly arranged circumferential lamellae, as well as dissolution of the lamellae and subtle osteogenesis in the experimental group, as opposed to the control group. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression of TGF-β1 was significantly reduced in the experimental group (P<0.01). Further, the NONFH group had a decrease in the CD3+ and CD4+ cell populations (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively), an increase in the CD8+ cell population (P<0.05), as well as a reduction in the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells (P<0.01). The present study indicated that TGF-β1 expression was reduced in NONFH. This was associated with impaired repairing capacity of the femoral head and dysregulated subsets of T-lymphocytes and possible immune functions.