RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 42 Inhibition Of Hif-2α Signalling With Digoxin Decreases Calcification In Tendinopathy
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP A27
OP A28
DO 10.1136/bjsports-2014-094114.42
VO 48
IS Suppl 2
A1 Jiajie Hu
A1 Xiao Chen
A1 Zi Yin
A1 Hongwei Ouyang
YR 2014
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/Suppl_2/A27.2.abstract
AB Introduction Chronic tendon pathology (tendinopathy) is a common but poorly treated disease, due to limited understanding of its pathogenesis. The resident tenocytes undergo continuous renewal form tendon progenitor/stem cells (TSPCs).1 How TSPCs are maintained and differentiated into tenocytes in healthy individuals and which key molecular events are defective in patients have been largely unknown. Manipulating endogeous stem cells with small molecules has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy, but practical approaches are still unavailable. In this study, our results demonstrate that digoxin represents a potential approach for calcifying tendinopathy therapy through inhibiting HIF-2α mediated erroneous differentiation of TSPCs. Methods Human model of tendinopathy: Calcific Achilles tendon and supraspinatus tendon were collected from patients undergoing surgical procedures. Treatment: Digoxin/saline was injected into rat Achilles tendon subcutaneously every 3 days after collagenase injection. Results We compared the abundance of HIF-2α (encoded by EPAS1) in uncalcified and calcified regions of human and rat Achilles’s tendon. EPAS1 mRNA and protein levels were elevated in calcific tendons compared with normal tendons. Immunoreactive for stro-1, CD44 and HIF-2α demonstrated that HIF-2α was increased in TSPCs which located in the vicinity of calcific sites. These findings demostrate the HIF-2α level is increased in TSPCs of calcific tendons. Knockdown of HIF-2α by shRNA significantly decreased the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red staining (ARS) of human TSPCs underwent osteogenesis induction combined with IL1β treatment. In contrast, overexpression of a constitutive active form of HIF-2α lead to a significant reduction in expression levels of tendon specific markers, such as SCX, EYA1/2. These data suggest HIF-2α signalling plays a significant role in the fate specification of tenocytes and osteoblasts from TSPCs. Digoxin treatment in vitro inhibited IL1β-induced elevation of HIF-2α protein and significantly decreased the activity of ALP and ARS staining of TSPCs (Figure 1 a,b) and increased expression level of SCX, EYA1/2. Morever, we observed successful inhibition of HIF-2α in vivo by subcutaneously delivery of digoxin. X-ray quantification and histological examination showed that compared with vehicle, digoxin administration led to decreased calcium deposition (Figure 1 c,d). Abstract 42 Figure 1 Digoxin decreases calcification in vitro and in vivo. (A, B) Western blot, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, Alizarin red staining (A) and quantification (B) in human TSPCs treated with IL- 1β and osteoinduction in the presence of HIF inhibitor: digoxin. (C) Calcification deposition assessed by x-ray in rats Achilles tendons at 8 weeks after creating a tendinopathy model combined with or without digoxin treatment. (D) Glycosaminoglycan content assessed by safranin O staining in digoxin treated or untreated tendons. Scale bars, 500μm (up), 100μm (down). All data are expressed as mean s± s.d. *p < 0.05 versus control groups Discussion Our work provides a appicable therapeutic approach for tendon calcification, through manipulation of HIF-2α pathway in stem/progenitor cells by digoxin. I would like to apply for the British Journal of Sports Medicine Prize. ReferenceBi Y, Ehirchiou D, Kilts TM, et al. Nat Med. 2007;13(10): 1219–27