Mannoni A, Altman R D, Muniz O E, Serni U, Dean D D
Division of Rheumatology, Instituto Ortopedico Toscano, Florence, Italy.
J Rheumatol. 1993 May;20(5):849-55.
The effects of methotrexate (MTX) on articular cartilage and its influence on the development of osteoarthritis (OA) lesions were tested in a lapine partial medial meniscectomy model.
Animals were divided into groups consisting of unoperated and operated rabbits that either received or did not receive MTX treatment. After 8 weeks knee articular condylar cartilage was examined for gross and histologic anatomy, active and total neutral metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP), DNA, uronic acid and hydroxyproline content.
Carbon black retention and histologic scores revealed moderately severe changes in the OA animals with a tendency to less severe changes in OA animals receiving MTX. Unoperated animals receiving MTX had abnormal cartilage that displayed pitting and elevations in histologic score. Active and total neutral metalloproteinase and TIMP were elevated in both untreated and treated OA animals when compared to either unoperated or unoperated and treated animals.
Articular cartilage with lesser amounts of neutral metalloproteinase and high amounts of TIMP levels often seen with other therapeutic modalities for OA, were not observed with MTX therapy. Our data suggest that MTX may have limited value in the treatment of OA.
在兔部分内侧半月板切除术模型中测试甲氨蝶呤（MTX）对关节软骨的影响及其对骨关节炎（OA）病变发展的影响。
将动物分为未手术和手术的兔子组，手术组兔子接受或不接受MTX治疗。8周后，检查膝关节髁软骨的大体和组织解剖结构、活性和总中性金属蛋白酶、金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂（TIMP）、DNA、糖醛酸和羟脯氨酸含量。
炭黑保留率和组织学评分显示，OA动物有中度严重变化，接受MTX的OA动物变化倾向于较轻。接受MTX的未手术动物有异常软骨，组织学评分显示有凹陷和隆起。与未手术或未手术且接受治疗的动物相比，未治疗和治疗的OA动物的活性和总中性金属蛋白酶以及TIMP均升高。
MTX治疗未观察到与OA其他治疗方式常见的中性金属蛋白酶含量较低和TIMP水平较高的关节软骨情况。我们的数据表明，MTX在OA治疗中的价值可能有限。
