2022, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (23): 3744-3749

Effect of p38 inhibitor on inflammatory factors in the patellar tendon and patella-patellar tendon junction under short-term exercise

Qi Yanan1, Chen Yiyan2, Zhang Ning3, Wang Lin3   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: p38 inhibitors have achieved good results in the intervention and treatment of related diseases. However, there are still many questions about the effect of p38 inhibitors on the inflammatory response in the patellar tendon and the patella-patellar tendon junction under short-term high-intensity exercise.
OBJECTIVE: On the basis of a quantitative jumping animal model successfully established in the laboratory, to investigate the effect of p38 inhibitors on the expression of main inflammatory factors, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor-β1 in the patellar tendon and patella-patellar tendon junction under short-term high-intensity exercise.
METHODS: Thirty-four 18-week-old New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into control group (n=4); jump 1, 3, 5 days groups (n=5 per group); jump+p38 inhibition 1, 3, 5 days groups (n=5 per group). Each jump group was subjected to electrical stimulation-induced jump training (jumping forward and upward), with a jump height of 10 cm defined as a qualified jump. Each training sessions included 150 qualified jumps. SB203580 (0.5 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected in each jump+p38 inhibition group after each training. The control group did not perform jump training, and the experimental group received electrical stimulation jump training according to the training program. The pre-adaptation process and feeding time were the same. Except for the control group, the rabbits from the other groups were sacrificed after training, and immunohistochemical staining was performed using the SABC method, and the density of the positive cells of each inflammatory factor was quantitatively calculated by Metamorph graphics processing software.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemistry results indicated inconsistent changes in the expression of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor-β1 in the patellar tendon and patella-patellar tendon junction under short-term high-intensity exercise. Compared with the jump groups, the expressions of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor-β1 in the patellar tendon and patella-patellar tendon junction were not significantly different in each jump+p38 inhibitor group (P > 0.05). These findings reveal that the p38 inhibitor may not affect the inflammatory response of the patella tendon and patella-patellar tendon junction in the acute phase under short-term high-intensity exercise.
Key words: short-term exercise, patellar tendon, patella-patellar tendon junction, inflammatory factor, p38 inhibitor