Gastrodin reduces IL-1β-induced apoptosis, inflammation, and matrix catabolism in osteoarthritis chondrocytes and attenuates rat cartilage degeneration in vivo
Authors: Xiao-Lei Zhang
Yun-Tao Gu
Ying-Zhao Yan
Wei-Jun Guo
Long Chen
Jian Chen
Jun-Jun Xie
Yao-Sen Wu
Jun Xuan
Jian Xiao
Cong-Cong Wu
Xiang-Yang Wang
Journal: Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (2018)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: Apoptosis; Gastrodin; Inflammation; NF-κB; Osteoarthritis.
Affiliations: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China., School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, People's Republic of China., School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: ., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  Therapeutics for osteoarthritis (OA) are intended to restore chondrocyte function and inhibit cell apoptosis. Previous studies have shown that gastrodin had anti-apoptotic and anti- inflammatory effects. However, little is known about whether gastrodin has protective effects against the processes of OA. We studied the potential effects of gastrodin on chondrocytes and the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that gastrodin could prevent chondrocyte apoptosis induced by IL-1β. Additionally, gastrodin suppressed the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, decreased the release of inflammatory mediators (IL-6, TNF-α), and reduced matrix catabolism in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. Furthermore, gastrodin ameliorated rat cartilage degeneration in an OA model of knee joints in vivo, suggesting its potential as a candidate therapeutic for OA. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 A potential duplication in Figure 2C was pointed out to me by a reader, and I agree. * Red boxes: The IL-1b 0 uM Gastrodin and 0.1 uM Gastrodin panel appear to show an overlap. ![file] , 
 I spotted an additional concern in Figure 7A. * Green boxes: The Control and OA+GAS panels appear to show an overlap. This figure appears to be crucial in the conclusion of this paper that  Gastrodin ameliorated cartilage degeneration in an OA model in rats. ![file] , 
 The reader from comment #1 also spotted some potential problems with Figure 7B. * Cyan boxes: an overlap with Figure 7B in Jian Chen et al. (same research group), Cell Death Dis 2018; 9: 212, DOI: 10.1038 s41419-017-0217-y * Orange boxes: an overlap with Figure 6A in Jun-Jun Xie et al. (same research group), Biomed Pharmacother (2018), DOI: 10.1016 j.biopha.2017.10.068 Could the authors clarify if these panels represented the same experiments, please? ![file] , 
 The same reader also found an overlap between the control panel in Figure 7D and that in Figure 7D of Jian Chen et al., Cell Death Dis 2018; 9: 212, DOI: 10.1038 s41419-017-0217-y. Shown here with red boxes. ![file] , 
 The reader also noticed that lanes in the b-actin panel of Figure 3, shown in blue boxes, look similar to those in Figure 3 of Jian Chen et al., DOI: 10.1038 s41419-017-0085-5 (mirror image), and those in Figure 1 of Jun-Jun Xie et al., DOI: 10.1016 j.biopha.2017.10.068 The panels represent different experiments. ![file] ,