To observe the relationship between the serum collagen alpha-1 (X) (COL10A1), procollagen type ⅡA N-terminal propeptide (PⅡANP)levels and the severity of knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Eighty-nine patients with KOA were selected as KOA group, and Twenty-three healthy volunteers as control group. Five ml morning serum of each subject was collected and lateral position of X-ray detection of knee joint was performed. the X-ray images were classified according to the Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic grading criteria. All the subjects were divided into 5 groups: control group, groupⅠ, groupⅡ, group Ⅲ, and group Ⅳ. The serum COL10A1 level was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).

(1) The serum COL10A1 level in KOA group [(1.30±0.65) ng/ml] was significantly higher than that in control group [(0.46±0.15) ng/ml, P=0.000]. The serum PⅡANP level in control group [(23.88±4.68) ng/ml] was significantly higher than that in KOA group [(13.22±4.74) ng/ml, P=0.000]. (2) In group KOA, the serum COL10A1 level in group Ⅱ [(1.84±0.44) ng/ml] and group Ⅲ [1.68±0.47) ng/ml] were highest, and were significant difference control groups [(0.46±0.15) ng/ml](all P=0.000). The serum PⅡANP level in KOA subgroup were decreased with the increasing of K-L classification.

The serum COL10A1 level in patients with KOA was higher than that in normal subjects and the serum PⅡANP level in normal subjects was higher than that in KOA group. So we can combined with the K-L classification to evaluate the severity of the patient’s condition.

Type X collagen; Type Ⅱ collagen; Osteoarthrit; Collagen alpha-1 (X); Procollagen type ⅡA N-terminal propeptide