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Fig. 2 | Arthritis Research & Therapy

Fig. 2

From: Prolactin blocks the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand and reduces osteoclastogenesis and bone loss in murine inflammatory arthritis

Fig. 2

Prolactin (PRL) reduces loss of trabecular bone area and osteoclastogenesis in polyarticular adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Osmotic minipumps delivering PRL were positioned (or were not positioned) 3 days before the intradermal injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) to induce AIA in rats. The experiments ended on day 21 after injection of CFA, when all evaluations were performed. a Representative images of hematoxylin-eosin-stained tibiotarsal joint sections. Scale bar 500 μm. Ep epiphyseal plate, Bm bone marrow, Ct cortical bone, Tb trabecular bone, c cartilage, sm synovial membrane. Graph indicates the values of trabecular bone area (trabecular surface area divided by the total bone area). b Representative images of tartrate-resistant alkaline phosphatase (TRAP)-stained tibiotarsal joint sections where TRAP-positive purple spots (multinucleated cells (osteoclasts)) below the growth plate are indicated (arrows). Scale bar 200 μm. Graph shows the number of osteoclasts per bone surface (N.Oc/BS). c Quantification by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) of the mRNA levels of the osteoclast gene markers: Trap, Mmp9, Ctsk, and Tnfrsf11a in the ankle joints. d qRT-PCR quantification of the mRNA levels of Tnfrsf11 and Tnfrsf11b and of the Tnfrsf11/Tnfrsf11b mRNA ratio in the ankle joints. Values are means ± SEM (n = 5–8). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, n.s. non-significant

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