Fig 1.
Assessment of suitability of the MIA-induced knee osteoarthritis rat model.
(A-E) Representative images from the safranine-O and fast green staining of the N group, the NS group, the A group, the B group and the C group. Scale bar is 100 μm. (F) Comparison of the OA scores as assessed on articular cartilage of model rats in each group. Data were showed as means ± SD, n = 6, ◇◇P < 0.01 vs the N group, ◆◆P < 0.01 vs the NS group, ΔΔP < 0.01 vs the A group, ▲▲P < 0.01 vs the B group.
Fig 2.
Representative images of toluidine blue staining of each rat group.
The MCs were exhibited round or elliptic morphologies, their nuclei were round and the cytoplasm was homogeneously spotted with basophilic purple granules. Some MCs at the acupoints GB34 and EX-LE2 in the A, B and C group showed a large number of bluish violet granules distributed in between the cells and arranged in bundles or bands (degranulation). The normal, moderately degranulated and extensively degranulated MCs are shown by black, red and yellow arrows. Scale bar is 40, 20 μm respectively.
Fig 3.
The number of MCs and degranulation levels in each rat group.
(A) The number of MCs in all groups. (B) The percentages of degranulated MCs in all groups. (C) The percentage of extensively degranulated MCs in all groups. Data were showed as means ± SD, n = 6, ◇◇P < 0.01 vs the N group, ◆◆P < 0.01 vs the NS group, ΔΔP < 0.01, ΔP < 0.05 vs the A group, ▲▲P < 0.01, ▲P < 0.05 vs the B group.
Fig 4.
Representative images of immunofluorescence staining of mast cell tryptase (green) and co-expressed 5-HT (red) in the N and C group.
The MCs-produced tryptase, mainly expressed in the cytoplasm, was green fluorescence labeled and the co-expression of 5-HT was red fluorescence labeled. The positively stained cells, degranulated MCs are shown by white, red arrows. Scale bar is 40 μm.
Fig 5.
Representative immunofluorescence staining of mast cell tryptase (green), and co-expressed HA (red) in the N and C group.
The MCs-produced tryptase, mainly expressed in the cytoplasm, was green fluorescence labeled and the co-expression of HA was red fluorescence labeled. The positively stained cells, degranulated MCs are shown by white, red arrows. Scale bar is 40 μm.