TRAIL induces apoptosis of chondrocytes and influences the pathogenesis of experimentally induced rat osteoarthritis

Objective To investigate whether TRAIL influences the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Methods A recombinant adenoviral vector system (Ad‐TRAIL) was used. Expression of TRAIL in a rat chondrocyte cell line (RCJ3.1C.18) and alterations in the expression of death and decoy receptors after Ad‐TRAIL infection were measured by Western blot assay. To explore the underlying mechanism, Western blot assays (to detect caspase 8, poly[ADP‐ribose] polymerase [PARP], and caspase 3 activation), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) measurement, Hoechst staining, and DNA electrophoresis were conducted. Next, expression of TRAIL and death and decoy receptors was examined by immunochemistry in primary cultured chondrocytes and on cartilage obtained from rats with experimentally induced OA. Results Ad‐TRAIL infection induced expression of TRAIL in RCJ3.1C.18 cells, increased expression of death receptor 4 (DR4), and decreased expression of DR5 and decoy receptor 1 (DcR1). Ad‐TRAIL, at doses of 10 and 100 multiplicities of infection, decreased the viability of chondrocytes 4 days after infection. Reduction of ΔΨm, cytochrome c release, nuclear condensation, activation of caspase 3 and PARP, and DNA fragmentation proved the induction of apoptosis. Activation of caspase 8 was also observed. Ad‐TRAIL also induced apoptosis in primary cultured chondrocytes, in which alterations in expression of TRAIL and death receptors were similar to those observed in RCJ3.1C.18 cells. Cartilage obtained from rats with experimentally induced OA showed increased expression of TRAIL and DR4 and decreased expression of DR5 and DcR1 compared with control cartilage. Conclusion TRAIL induces chondrocyte apoptosis, and TRAIL‐induced chondrocyte apoptosis may play a role in the pathogenesis of OA.