Effect of phospholipase A2inhibitory peptide on inflammatory arthritis in a TNF transgenic mouse model: a time-course ultrastructural study

Table 1 Histopathologic assessment of ankle joints

			% of total at indicated HS
Treatment	Time course (weeks)	Joints scored	HS 2	HS 3	HS 4	HS (Mean ± SEM)
None	4	10	0	90.0	10	3.30 ± 0.11^a
P-NT.II*	1	4	100	0	0	2.12 ± 0.12
P-NT.II*	2	4	100	0	0	2.37 ± 0.12
P-NT.II*	3	4	75	25	0	2.50 ± 0.20
P-NT.II*	4	4	75	25	0	2.62 ± 0.31^b
Scrambled-P-NT.II-treated (negative control peptide)	4	6	16.7	83.3	0	3.25 ± 0.17^c

*Tg197 mice injected (intraperitoneally) with the test peptide P-NT.II were killed at weekly intervals (N = 4 per group) for 4 weeks and their ankle joints examined. For untreated and negative control groups, ankle joints were harvested only at the end of the 4 weeks' study course for one-time examination. Histologic scoring was performed semiquantitatively by a blinded examiner. HS 2 = pannus and fibrous tissue formation and focal erosion of subchondral bone; HS 3 = articular cartilage destruction and bone erosion; HS 4 = extensive articular cartilage destruction and bone erosion. a versus b, b versus c = significantly different (P < 0.05; one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni's multiple comparison test). HS, histopathologic score; SEM, standard error of the mean.

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