Effect of dietary ascorbic acid vitamin supplements on growth and survival of striped bass, Morone saxatilis, and inland silverside, Menidia beryllina, larvae

Larvae of striped bass (12 d old) and silversides (14 d old) were fed for 4 weeks on marumerized diets containing 100 mg/kg ascorbic acid equivalency as ascorbic acid-2-sulfate (AS-2-SO4), ethylcellulose coated ascorbic acid (ECAA), ascorbic acid-2-polyphosphate (Stay-C; ST-C), and ascorbic acid-2-monophosphatc (MPO4). Survival and growth of the fish were compared with those of fish fed a control diet with no supplemental ascorbic acid (30 mg/kg background level only) and fish fed exclusively on live Anemia nauplii. Live nauplii yielded better growth and survival for both species. Striped bass survival rates ranged from 33 to 47% for all the ascorbic acid diets, including the control, except that survival on the AS-2-SO4 was significantly (P\u3c0.05) less than rest of the dietary treatments. No growth differences were detected among the ascorbic acid diets but growth on all the diets was significantly lower than that of fish fed on live Anemia nauplii. Silverside larvae exhibited no growth or survival differences among any ascorbic acid supplemented, diet without ascorbic acid diets, nor between those diets and live food. The results indicate that all the ascorbic acid vitamers except AS-2-SO4 can be used as an alternate source of vitamin C for striped bass and inland silvcrsides larvae. These studies further indicate that larval stages of these two fish species do not require ascorbic acid supplementation when raised/cultured on practical diets

Extracellular Matrix Protection Factor: A Novel Class of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis Therapeutic

Injury-related, post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a disease of the joints caused by an imbalance between extracellular matrix destruction and production. We have developed an innovative disease modifying therapeutic technology to treat PTOA. Extracellular matrix protection factor (ECPF-1) is a novel, safe and effective intra-articular injection that reduces the pain and damage caused by OA. Utilizing the peptide as an early intervention therapeutic, we have assessed its effects on the progression of PTOA. Peptide or control saline was injected into the injured knee joint for four consecutive weeks. Endpoint assessment of: toxicity, measured by CBC and serum chemistry; joint space narrowing, measured by Xray; joint functionality, measured by stride test; and tissue pathology, measured by micro computed tomography and histology were completed. Intra-articular injections of ECPF-1 in a rat model of PTOA demonstrated no cellular toxicity, normal serum chemistry following 4 weekly injections, diminished tissue destruction and increased animal mobility. All data indicates that ECPF-1 is non-toxic and diminishes the pathology associated with OA. This work was supported, in part, by intramural funding

Extracellular matrix protection factor 1 (ECPF-1): A novel osteoarthritis therapeutic demonstrates chondroprotective properties in a rat model of osteoarthritis; a quantitative micro computed tomography study of the tibia and femur

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent joint diseases, affecting millions of people and yet there is currently no cure. Finding a therapeutic that can cure OA would be beneficial for millions of people and those prone to a future degenerative disease. Objective: Current therapeutics for OA are focused on relieving symptoms for late stages of the disease. Extracellular Matrix Protection Factor-1 (ECPF-1), is a novel, highly specific Matrix metalloprotease-13 (MMP-13) inhibitor that blocks extracellular matrix degradation. Methods: A chemically-induced rat model of knee OA was used to study the effects of ECPF-1 in early stage OA progression. Micro computed tomography (µCT) images of the rat knee joints were quantified by measuring bone volume, spacing and total joint volume and trabecular spacing, thickness and number. Results: Data collected focuses on the treatment effects of ECPF-1 in the acute stage of OA after a loading phase (4 weekly injections of ECPF-1) and an 8-week protection-extension phase. For the femur, all ECPF-1 treated µCT measurements trended toward the values in the normal age-matched rat at both 4 and 8 weeks. For the tibia, all ECPF-1 treated µCT measurements trended toward the values in the normal age-matched rat at 8 weeks. The trabecular number values in both the femur and the tibia were most prominent in the 8-week samples of animals treated with ECPF-1 and exhibited the most progress toward normal, age-matched rat readings. Conclusions: This model showed that using an MMP inhibitor such as ECPF-1 could help in treating acute, post-traumatic OA. This is a potential new treatment for OA that indicates the ability to slow the disease progression