INTRA-ARTICULAR TREATMENT WITH HYALURONIC ACID (HA) ASSOCIATED WITH GOLD NANOPARTICLES (GNPs) IN A MECHANICAL OSTEOARTHRITIS MODEL IN WISTAR RATS.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intra-articular treatment with HA associated with GNPs in a mechanical model of osteoarthritis induced by median meniscectomy (MM). Fifty Wistar rats (2 months weighing between 250-300g) were used, divided into 5 groups of ten animals each: Sham; Osteoarthritis (OA); OA + Hyaluronic Acid (AH); OA + Gold nanoparticles (GNPs); OA + AH + GNPs. Intra-articular treatment was started 30 days after the model was induced, with a frequency of two weeks for 60 days. Fifteen days after the last application, the animals were euthanized with removal of the joint tissue for biochemical and histological analysis. The model used was able to mimic osteoarthritis, characterized by the presence of high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidizing compounds, damage markers oxidative and degeneration of joint surfaces (Grade III, according to SCORE OARSI). The isolated use of HA or GNPs provided beneficial results to the joint, however, only the group subjected to the association between HA and GNPs showed attenuation of oxidative stress and reduced pro-inflammatory markers, with simultaneous increase in levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Upon histological analysis, only the OA + HA + GNPs group achieved restoration of the thickness of the joint cartilage with reduced damage and return to the intact joint surface. The results found demonstrate that the association of GNPs with HA was able to reverse the deleterious effects caused by the model, through the inhibiting the progressive degeneration of joint surfaces, representing a promising treatment for osteoarthritis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.