Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α plays an important role in the homeostasis of articular cartilage in hypoxic environments. Therefore, modulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α by regulating the oxygen environment could be a useful treatment for osteoarthritis. This study aimed to assess the chondroprote...

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Main Authors: Ryota Cha, Shuji Nakagawa, Yuji Arai, Atsuo Inoue, Naoki Okubo, Yuta Fujii, Kenta Kaihara, Kei Nakamura, Tsunao Kishida, Osam Mazda, Kenji Takahashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319976
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author Ryota Cha
Shuji Nakagawa
Yuji Arai
Atsuo Inoue
Naoki Okubo
Yuta Fujii
Kenta Kaihara
Kei Nakamura
Tsunao Kishida
Osam Mazda
Kenji Takahashi
author_facet Ryota Cha
Shuji Nakagawa
Yuji Arai
Atsuo Inoue
Naoki Okubo
Yuta Fujii
Kenta Kaihara
Kei Nakamura
Tsunao Kishida
Osam Mazda
Kenji Takahashi
author_sort Ryota Cha
collection DOAJ
description Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α plays an important role in the homeostasis of articular cartilage in hypoxic environments. Therefore, modulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α by regulating the oxygen environment could be a useful treatment for osteoarthritis. This study aimed to assess the chondroprotective effects of intermittent hypoxia on cultured chondrocytes and an animal model of osteoarthritis. In vitro, human chondrocytes were exposed to 2 h of hypoxic stimulation three times at 1-h intervals, and protein and gene expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, ACAN, and cell viability was measured over time. In vivo, 8-week-old male Wistar rats were injected with monosodium iodoacetate to induce osteoarthritis and then reared in 12% hypoxia for 24 h, followed by 24 h in steady oxygen, repeated alternately for a total of 28 days. A histological analysis was performed on days 8 and 28. In the intermittent hypoxia group, each protein expression increased with each repeated hypoxic stimulation to human chondrocytes; finally, the protein level was significantly higher with intermittent hypoxia than with continuous hypoxic stimulation, cell viability was increased, and gene expression was not significantly increased. In the osteoarthritis animal model, for 8 days, there were stronger hypoxia-inducible factor-1α staining and no significant differences in articular cartilage destruction. Furthermore, for 28 days, there was significantly less articular cartilage destruction in the rat osteoarthritis model with intermittent hypoxia than with steady oxygen rearing. Intermittent hypoxia increased cartilage metabolism by increasing hypoxia-inducible factor-1α proteins in articular chondrocytes, which may be effective in preventing articular cartilage degeneration in a rat osteoarthritis model.
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spelling doaj-art-cfdfa2c52c654b299c952afbcc1d067d2025-08-20T03:17:01ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01204e031997610.1371/journal.pone.0319976Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.Ryota ChaShuji NakagawaYuji AraiAtsuo InoueNaoki OkuboYuta FujiiKenta KaiharaKei NakamuraTsunao KishidaOsam MazdaKenji TakahashiHypoxia-inducible factor-1α plays an important role in the homeostasis of articular cartilage in hypoxic environments. Therefore, modulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α by regulating the oxygen environment could be a useful treatment for osteoarthritis. This study aimed to assess the chondroprotective effects of intermittent hypoxia on cultured chondrocytes and an animal model of osteoarthritis. In vitro, human chondrocytes were exposed to 2 h of hypoxic stimulation three times at 1-h intervals, and protein and gene expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, ACAN, and cell viability was measured over time. In vivo, 8-week-old male Wistar rats were injected with monosodium iodoacetate to induce osteoarthritis and then reared in 12% hypoxia for 24 h, followed by 24 h in steady oxygen, repeated alternately for a total of 28 days. A histological analysis was performed on days 8 and 28. In the intermittent hypoxia group, each protein expression increased with each repeated hypoxic stimulation to human chondrocytes; finally, the protein level was significantly higher with intermittent hypoxia than with continuous hypoxic stimulation, cell viability was increased, and gene expression was not significantly increased. In the osteoarthritis animal model, for 8 days, there were stronger hypoxia-inducible factor-1α staining and no significant differences in articular cartilage destruction. Furthermore, for 28 days, there was significantly less articular cartilage destruction in the rat osteoarthritis model with intermittent hypoxia than with steady oxygen rearing. Intermittent hypoxia increased cartilage metabolism by increasing hypoxia-inducible factor-1α proteins in articular chondrocytes, which may be effective in preventing articular cartilage degeneration in a rat osteoarthritis model.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319976
spellingShingle Ryota Cha
Shuji Nakagawa
Yuji Arai
Atsuo Inoue
Naoki Okubo
Yuta Fujii
Kenta Kaihara
Kei Nakamura
Tsunao Kishida
Osam Mazda
Kenji Takahashi
Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.
PLoS ONE
title Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.
title_full Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.
title_fullStr Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.
title_full_unstemmed Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.
title_short Intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model.
title_sort intermittent hypoxic stimulation promotes efficient expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1α and exerts a chondroprotective effect in an animal osteoarthritis model
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319976
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