Abnormal hyperplasia of chondrocytes in a rat model of glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

The aim of our study was to determine whether abnormal hyperplasia of chondrocytes occurs in glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (GC-ONFH) using a well-established rat model.Rats were injected with lipopolysaccharide and methylprednisolone to induce GC-ONFH, while control animals were injected with saline (12 animals per group). Establishment of the disease model was confirmed using micro-computed tomography and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of femoral head tissue sections. Chondrocyte hyperplasia was detected using HE staining and semi-quantitated using toluidine blue and saffron O staining. Expression of the autophagy marker LC3B was assessed in cartilage tissues of femoral head using immunohistochemistry.GC-ONFH animals showed significantly greater area of abnormal chondrocyte hyperplasia in femoral head tissue sections than control animals. They also showed significantly higher expression of LC3B in articular cartilage of the femoral head.GC-ONFH may be associated with abnormal chondrocyte hyperplasia in articular surface cartilage, which may be related to glucocorticoid-induced overactivation of autophagy.