Histological assessment of intera articular injection of 90Y- hydroxyapatite radiocolloid in enrofloxacin induced rheumatoid arthritis in rat models

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common and disabling diseases in societies that causes chronic synovial inflammation and joint damages. Several pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical treatments of RA have been developed, among which radiosynovectomy using beta-emitting radionuclides is a safe and effective treatment in a patient with no response to drug therapies or systemic drug side effects. In this study, the histological effects of yttrium-90 hydroxyapatite (90Y-HA) injection in the knee joint of RA rat models were assessed.

Rat models of RA were prepared by intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg enrofloxacin for 15 days. Therapeutic effects of 90Y-HA injection in the knee joint of RA rat models were evaluated via histology staining techniques 2 weeks and 2 months after treatment.

Significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) were observed in such studied parameters as articular cartilage thickness, the number of chondrocytes and lacunae and regeneration of joint cartilage 2 months after intra-articular injection of 90Y-HA in knee joint.

It seems that intra-articular injection of 90Y-HA could be one of the efficient therapies for reducing inflammatory factors and improving the induced RA in rats.