Endoplasmic reticulum stress transducer old astrocyte specifically induced substance contributes to astrogliosis after spinal cord injury

Old astrocyte specifically induced substance(OASIS) is an endoplasmic reticulum(ER) stress transducer specifically expressed in astrocytes and osteoblasts. OASIS regulates the differentiation of neural precursor cells into astrocytes in the central nervous system. This study aimed to elucidate the involvement of ER stress responses stimulated via OASIS in astrogliosis following spinal cord injury. In a mouse model of spinal cord contusion injury, OASIS m RNA and protein expression were evaluated at days 7 and 14. A significant increase in OASIS m RNA on day 7 and an increase in protein on days 7 and 14 was observed in injured spinal cords. Immunostaining on day 7 revealed co-localization of OASIS and astrocytes in the periphery of the injury site. Furthermore, anti-OASIS small interfering RNA(si RNA) was injected at the injury sites on day 5 to elucidate the function of OASIS. Treatment with anti-OASIS si RNA caused a significant decrease in OASIS m RNA on day 7 and protein on days 7 and 14, and was associated with the inhibition of astrogliosis and hindlimb motor function recovery. Results of our study show that OASIS expression synchronizes with astrogliosis and is functionally associated with astrogliosis after spinal cord injury.

The Effects of an Unloading Knee Brace and Insole with Subtalar Strapping for Medial Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Objectives: We evaluated whether a valgus knee brace and an insole with subtalar strapping could reduce pain and improve functional scores over 12 months in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: OA was confirmed by radiography in all patients, who were divided into three groups: exercise (n = 44), insole (n = 55), and brace (n = 19). Clinical knee functions and gait analyses were evaluated. Results: After 12 months, the clinical results for all groups had improved compared to pretreatment findings. Although the knee varus moment decreased and the gait speed increased when the insole was worn initially, the effects of the insole decreased at 6 and 12 months. In contrast, the knee varus moment decreased and the gait speed increased when the brace was initially fitted. The effects of the brace were maintained during the 12 months. Conclusions: The insole was effective for patients with Kellgren-Lawrence Grades II and III, and the knee brace was effective for patients with Grades III and IV conditions. Furthermore, the knee brace was more effective when worn for more than 6 months, while the effects of the insoles were not continuous.