RhoA Promotes Synovial Proliferation and Bone Erosion in Rheumatoid Arthritis through Wnt/PCP Pathway

Figure 4

Effect of Sh-RhoA on CIA mice. (a) Joint changes in CIA mice. (b) The IHC analysis tested the EGFP expression to determine the transfected effect. (c and d) The western blot result showed that the expression of RhoA in the joint synovium was significantly downregulated in the Sh-RhoA group compared with the Sh-Ctr group (n = 3), . (e) The typical HE changes in knee joint in the three groups (n = 5). (f) The H&E scores were significantly lower in the Sh-RhoA group than in the control group (n = 5), . (g) Compared with the Sh-Ctr group, the arthritis scores in Sh-RhoA group were significantly ameliorated after the third intra-articular injection (n = 5), , , . (h and i) TRAP staining on joints synovium showed that the Sh-RhoA group had fewer TRAP-positive cells (n = 5), . (j and k) Micro-CT showed the influence of Sh-RhoA on the microstructure of subchondral bone in CIA mice. The results indicated that bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV) was elevated in the Sh-RhoA group compared with the control group (n = 3), . (l) The levels of IL-17 and IL-21 in mouse serum tested by an ELISA assay kit (n = 3), , 0.040. , , .

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