Possible Regulation of bFGF Expression by Mast Cells in Osteoarthritis Patients with Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Patients’ Clinical Characteristics

	Normal (n=95)	Overweight (n=109)	Obese (n=45)	P
Age (years)	75.8±7.5	73.2±6.9^a	71.1±7.4^a,b	<0.001
Male/female, n	17/78	32/77	7/38	0.099
KL (3/4), n	29/66	31/78	11/44	0.634
BMI (kg/m^2)	22.2±1.9	27.2±1.4^a	32.8±2.2^a,b	<0.001

Notes: Data are mean±standard deviation unless otherwise indicated. ^aStatistical difference between normal and obese groups. ^bStatistical difference between overweight and obese groups.

Abbreviations: KL, Kellgren and Lawrence grade; BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Primer Sequences

Gene	Direction	Primer sequence (5′–3′)	Product size (bp)
TPSB2	F	CGCAAAATACCACCTTGGCG	138
	R	GTGCCATTCACCTTGCACAC
IL13	F	CCTCATGGCGCTTTTGTTGAC	134
	R	TCTGGTTCTGGGTGATGTTGA
CD117	F	TGACTTACGACAGGCTCGTG	126
	R	CCACTGGCAGTACAGAAGCA
CD203c	F	CGACTGCACTATGCCAAGAA	164
	R	GGTCCATGTGCCAGAAAGAT
BFGF	F	AGAGCGACCCTCACATCAAG	80
	R	ACGGTTAGCACACACTCCTT
GAPDH	F	TGCCACTCAGAAGACTGTGG	129
	R	TTCAGCTCTGGGATGACCTT

Figure 1 CD117 (A), CD203c (B), TPSB2 (C), and BFGF (D) mRNA expression in the synovium of normal, overweight, and obese patients with knee osteoarthritis. *P<0.05. P values are indicated.

Figure 2 Correlation between expression of BFGF and MC markers. Correlation between expression of BFGF and CD117 (A), CD203c (B), and TPSB2 (C).

Figure 3 Expression of MC markers, BFGF and IL13 in mast cells. CD117 (A), CD203c (B), TPSB2 (C), IL13 (D), and BFGF (E) expression levels in mast cell (MC)-rich (THY-1-CD3-CD14-CD19-) and MC-poor (THY-1+, CD3+, CD14+, or CD19+) fractions. *P<0.05. P values are indicated.

Figure 4 Effect of IL-13 on BFGF expression in synovial fibroblasts and Mφ. BFGF expression in CD14-negative (fibroblast-rich) (A) and CD14-positive (Mφ-rich) (B) fractions at 6 h after stimulation with vehicle or IL-13. *P<0.05. P values are indicated.