Background: The impairment of articular cartilage caused by trauma or degenerative pathology is one of the most challenging issues in clinical Orthopedics because of the limited intrinsic regenerative capability of this tissue. Hypoxia is a major stimulus to initiate gene programs in regulating chondrogenic lineage cell functions during cartilage development and regeneration. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), the key transcription factor to sense oxygen fluctuations of cells, is abundantly expressed in the cartilage and considered as a potential therapeutic target for cartilage tissue homeostasis or repair. However, the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic efficacy of targeting the HIF-1α pathway remain to be well defined. / Methods: Osteochondral defect mouse model was generated to examine the hypoxia states during articular cartilage repair with the Hypoxyprobe. Specific HIF-1α deletion in the repairing tissue was established to determine its regulatory role during cartilage restoration. Deferoxamine (DFO), stabilizing HIF-1α from proteolysis by inhibiting the prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs), was investigated systemically on the function of chondroprogenitors and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro. Alcian blue staining determined the proteoglycan synthesis. HIF components, chondrogenic related genes and proteins were examined by quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The proliferation, differentiation and migration assays were performed to determine the influence of DFO onchondroprogenitors and MSCs. The recruitment or engraftment of MSCs in the injured site was traced by transplantation of GFP-labeled MSCs adjacent to the defect region, and examined by immunofluorescence staining. DFO incorporated in a 3D alginate-gelfoam scaffold was analyzed for its therapeutic effects on the articular cartilage regeneration. At 6 and 12 weeks following surgery, the cartilage tissue repair was scored and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Sox9 and collagen typeⅡ(Col2) was examined by immunohistochemistry. / Results: Hypoxia states and the expression of HIF-1α in the repair tissue were ubiquitously existed in the osteochondral defect model. DFO significantly upregulated HIF-1α expression and nuclear localization, and increased the levels of PHDs. DFO increased chondroprogenitor cell proliferation as visualized by colony forming unit assay, which was in accord with the upregulation of cyclin D1. DFO significantly induced chondrogenic differentiation indexed by increased Col2 and Sox9 protein expression and elevated proteoglycan synthesis. With sustained upregulation of HIF-1α DFO was supposed to effectively promote chondrogenesis in mimic of hypoxic microenvironment. DFO also increased the migration of MSCs, and elevated the expression of tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP3) through transcriptional control by HIF-1α. Furthermore, DFO initiated MSCs membrane protrusion through regulating the expression and interaction of the key focal adhesion proteins vinculin and paxillin. In vivo study showed that DFO dramatically facilitated the recruitment and functional engraftment of MSCs to the lesion site compared with the controls. Alginate-gelfoam scaffold incorporated with DFO enhanced articular cartilage repair through increasing chondrogenic cell proliferation, differentiation and proteoglycan synthesis. The enhanced therapeutic effect of DFO on articular cartilage repair was eliminated following HIF-1α deletion in the repairing cells of the cartilage lesion. The results indicate that the positive effect of DFO on articular cartilage repair is at least partially mediated by HIF-1α. / Conclusion: HIF-1α is an essential mediator during articular cartilage repair. Activation of HIF-1α by PHD inhibitor DFO increases chondroprogenitor cell proliferation, differentiation and migration in vitro. DFO enhances articular cartilage repair through coordinating MSCs migration, chondrogenic differentiation and functional engraftment. The results provide proof of principle that targeting the HIF-1α pathway may serve as a novel approach for promoting articular cartilage regeneration. / 背景：关节软骨自愈能力非常有限，由创伤或退行性病变引起关节软骨损伤的治疗是骨科领域的一大难题。在软骨发育和再生过程中，低氧条件对启动基因表达及调控软骨系细胞功能至关重要。低氧诱导因子-1α（HIF-1α）作为关键的转录因子可感应细胞外氧含量变化，广泛存在于软骨组织中，并被认为对维持软骨组织内稳态及促进软骨修复有重要作用。然而，以HIF-1α 通路为靶点的小分子靶向药物的分子机制与治疗效果尚不明确。 / 方法：本课题系统性地研究了HIF 信号通路激活剂去铁胺（DFO）对软骨损伤的作用。我们构建了骨软骨缺损模型，应用缺氧探针检测了软骨缺损过程中修复组织的低氧状态，并特异性敲除软骨修复组织中HIF-1α 表达，研究其在软骨再生过程中的调节作用。我们用阿利新蓝染色检测软骨细胞蛋白多糖的合成及分泌。通过实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应，免疫印迹以及免疫组化等方法检测了HIF 家族成员和软骨分化标志物的基因和蛋白含量变化。通过增殖及迁移实验检测了DFO 对软骨细胞或者骨髓间充质干细胞（MSC）功能的影响。另外，我们还将GFP 标记的MSC 注射到与小鼠软骨缺损区域相邻的软骨下骨中，观察其在软骨缺损模型中的募集及功能性植入。我们以藻酸盐和明胶海绵复合物为给药系统，包载DFO 并作用于关节软骨缺损部位。术后6 周及12 周取材，以番红O 染色检测DFO 对小鼠关节软骨缺损的修复效果，并通过免疫组化检测增殖细胞核抗原（PCNA），Sox9 以及Col2 等蛋白的表达。 / 结果：低氧状态和HIF-1α 在骨软骨缺损模型中的软骨缺损区域广泛存在和表达。DFO 显著提高了HIF-1α 蛋白表达及转运入核，增加了脯氨酸羟化酶（PHD）表达。在软骨祖细胞中，DFO 可提高其增殖、克隆能力，并增加周期蛋白D1的表达。同时，DFO 能明显促进软骨祖细胞分化，增加软骨分化标志物基因以及Sox9 和Col2 蛋白表达，提高蛋白多糖分泌。通过持续性激活HIF-1α，DFO可模仿低氧微环境来提高软骨细胞增殖、分化能力。分子机制研究发现，DFO激活HIF-1α 后，HIF-1α 作用在靶基因金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂-3 启动子上，增加其转录和蛋白表达，进而提高MSC 的迁移能力。另外，激活HIF-1α 蛋白可增加黏着斑蛋白，桩蛋白表达以及它们的相互作用，促进MSC 伪足延伸。体内实验中，通过追踪小鼠体内GFP 标记的MSC 发现， DFO 可在软骨损伤早期（7 天及14 天）提高受损部位MSC 募集数量，并促进其向软骨细胞谱系分化。通过增加软骨系细胞增殖、分化、蛋白多糖合成，包载DFO 的藻酸盐明胶海绵给药系统显著提高了软骨缺损组织的修复效果。而在软骨修复组织中特异性敲除HIF-1α 蛋白后，明显降低了DFO 对软骨缺损的治疗效果，提示DFO对软骨修复的作用至少部分由HIF-1α 介导。 / 结论：HIF-1α 是关节软骨修复过程中的重要调控因子。PHD 抑制剂DFO 可以激活HIF-1α 表达，增加软骨祖细胞增殖、分化和迁移。DFO 通过调控MSC 募集、软骨细胞谱系分化以及功能性植入，明显改善关节软骨再生修复的效果。本研究为HIF-1α 信号通路作为一种新的治疗靶点促进关节软骨再生提供了重要证据。 / Shu, Yinglan. / Thesis Ph.D. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2015. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-181). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 09, September, 2016). / Shu, Yinglan. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.