| Objective To investigate the effects of polyphyllin VII on apoptosis and secretion of inflammatory mediators of articular chondrocytes induced by IL-1β. Methods Human knee articular cartilage chondrocytes were isolated and cultured. Cells were divided into Control, Model group, low- (0.1μg/mL), middle- (0.2μg/mL), and high-dose (0.4μg/mL) group, middle dose+Vector group, and middle dose+TLR4 group. Cell proliferation was detected with CCK-8 method. Cell apoptosis was detected with flow cytometry, The levels of TNF-α and PGE2 were analyzed with ELISA. The level of NO was detected with colorimetry. The protein expressions of TLR4, C-Caspase-3, MMP-13, MMP-1, and MMP-3 were detected with Western blotting. Results Compared with those in the Control group, cell survival rate in the Model group decreased, the cell apoptosis rate increased, and the levels of TLR4, C-Caspase-3, MMP-13, MMP-1, and MMP-3 protein and TNF-α, NO, PGE2 increased. Compared with those in IL-1β group, the cell survival rate in low-, middle-, and high-dose groups gradually increased, the apoptosis rate gradually decreased, and the levels of TLR4, C-Caspase-3, MMP-13, MMP-1, MMP-3 protein and TNF-α, NO and PGE2 decreased. Compared with the middle dose+Vector group, the middle dose+TLR4 group had a lower cell survival rate and an increased cell apoptosis rate. The levels of TLR4, C-Caspase-3, MMP-13, MMP-1, MMP-3 protein and TNF-α, NO, PGE2 increased. Conclusion Polyphyllin VII inhibits IL-1β-induced apoptosis, secretion of inflammatory mediators, and the expression of MMP-13, MMP-1, and MMP-3 proteins of articular chondrocytes. The mechanism is related to the reduction of TLR4. |