RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: We hypothesize that chondrocytes from the deepest articular cartilage layer are pivotal in maintaining cartilage integrity and that the modification of their prehypertrophic phenotype to a hypertrophic phenotype will drive cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Murine immature articular chondrocytes (iMACs) were successively cultured into three different culture media to induce a progressive hypertrophic differentiation. Chondrocyte were phenotypically characterized by whole-genome microarray analysis. The expression of IL-34 and its receptors PTPRZ1 and CSF1R in chondrocytes and in human osteoarthritis tissues was assessed by RT-qPCR, ELISA and immunohistochemistry. The expression of bone remodeling and angiogenesis factors and the cell response to IL-1ß and IL-34 were investigated by RT-qPCR and ELISA. RESULTS: Whole-genome microarray analysis showed that iMACs, prehypertrophic and hypertrophic chondrocytes each displayed a specific phenotype. IL-1ß induced a stronger catabolic effect in prehypertrophic chondrocytes than in iMACs. Hypertrophic differentiation of prehypertrophic chondrocytes increased Bmp-2 (95%CI [0.78; 1.98]), Bmp-4 (95%CI [0.89; 1.59]), Cxcl12 (95%CI [2.19; 5.41]), CCL2 (95%CI [3.59; 11.86]), Mmp 3 (95%CI [10.29; 32.14]) and Vegf mRNA expression (95%CI [0.20; 1.74]). Microarray analysis identified IL-34, PTPRZ1 and CSFR1 as being strongly overexpressed in hypertrophic chondrocytes. IL-34 was released by human osteoarthritis cartilage; its receptors were expressed in human osteoarthritis tissues. IL-34 stimulated CCL2 and MMP13 in osteoblasts and hypertrophic chondrocytes but not in iMACs or prehypertrophic chondrocytes. CONCLUSION: Our results identify prehypertrophic chondrocytes as being potentially pivotal in the control of cartilage and subchondral bone integrity. Their differentiation into hypertrophic chondrocytes initiates a remodeling program in which IL-34 may be involved.
Asunto(s)
Remodelación Ósea/genética , Condrocitos/metabolismo , Interleucinas/genética , Osteoartritis/genética , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Animales , Proteína Morfogenética Ósea 2/genética , Proteína Morfogenética Ósea 2/metabolismo , Proteína Morfogenética Ósea 4/genética , Proteína Morfogenética Ósea 4/metabolismo , Cartílago Articular , Diferenciación Celular , Quimiocina CCL2/genética , Quimiocina CCL2/metabolismo , Quimiocina CXCL12/genética , Quimiocina CXCL12/metabolismo , Condrocitos/patología , Femenino , Humanos , Hipertrofia , Interleucinas/metabolismo , Masculino , Metaloproteinasa 13 de la Matriz/metabolismo , Metaloproteinasa 3 de la Matriz/genética , Metaloproteinasa 3 de la Matriz/metabolismo , Ratones , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neovascularización Patológica/genética , Neovascularización Patológica/metabolismo , Osteoartritis/metabolismo , Osteoartritis/patología , Fenotipo , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas Clase 5 Similares a Receptores/genética , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas Clase 5 Similares a Receptores/metabolismo , Receptores de Factor Estimulante de Colonias de Granulocitos y Macrófagos/genética , Receptores de Factor Estimulante de Colonias de Granulocitos y Macrófagos/metabolismo , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/genética , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/metabolismoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Aggrecan is degraded by Aggrecanases (ADAMTS-4 and -5) and MMPs, which cleave its core protein at different sites. Transforming growth factor (TGF)beta is known to stimulate matrix formation in cartilage, and ADAMTS-4 production in synoviocytes. The aim of this in-vitro study was to examine the effects of TGFbeta on aggrecanase production in human cartilage. DESIGN: Expression of ADAMTS-4 and -5 in chondrocyte cultures from normal or osteoarthritic cartilage was studied at mRNA level by RT-PCR. Aggrecanase activity was examined by western blot of aggrecanase-generated neoepitope NITEGE, and by measure of proteoglycan degradation in cartilage explants. RESULTS: TGFbeta strongly increased mRNA levels of ADAMTS-4, while ADAMTS-5 was expressed in a constitutive way in chondrocytes from normal and osteoathritic cartilage. TGFbeta also increased NITEGE levels and proteoglycan degradation. Addition of an aggrecanase inhibitor blocked the increase of NITEGE, and partially inhibited proteoglycan degradation. CONCLUSIONS: TGFbeta stimulates ADAMTS-4 expression and aggrecan degradation in cartilage. This catabolic action seems to be partially mediated by aggrecanases. It is, therefore, proposed that the role of TGFbeta in cartilage matrix turnover is not limited to anabolic and anti-catabolic actions, but also extends to selective degradation of matrix components such as aggrecan.