| Objective: To investigate the mechanism of sustained static pressure on rat chondrocytes. Method: Rat condylar chondrocytes were isolated and divided into a normal control group, a 30 KPa pressure group, a GSK205 control group, and a 30 KPa pressure+GSK205 group. EDU method was used to measure chondrocyte proliferation at 12, 24, and 48 hours. Flow cytometry was used to measure chondrocyte apoptosis at 24, 48, and 74 hours. Fluorescence probe method was used to detect the intracellular calcium ion concentration in chondrocytes at 48 hours. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression of TRPV4, p-JNK, JNK, p-ERK1/2, ERK1/2, p-P38, and P38 in chondrocytes at 24 hours. Result: Compared with the normal control group, the proliferation rate of cells in the 30 KPa pressure group decreased at all observation times. The apoptosis rate increased significantly. The fluorescence intensity of intracellular calcium ion increased. The TRPV4, phosphorylated JNK, phosphorylated ERK1/2, and phosphorylated P38 proteins in cells increased, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the 30 KPa pressure group, the chondrocyte rate in the 30 KPa pressure+GSK205 group was increased. The apoptosis rate decreased in all cases. The fluorescence intensity of intracellular calcium ion decreased. The TRPV4, phosphorylated JNK, phosphorylated ERK1/2, and phosphorylated P38 proteins decreased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion: Continuous static pressure of 30 KPa on chondrocytes can inhibit cell proliferation, promote apoptosis, and increase intracellular calcium ion concentration. The possible molecular mechanism by which sustained static pressure promotes apoptosis of rat chondrocytes is to activate the MAPK signaling pathway through the TRPV4 mechanical signal receptor. |