Insufficient autophagy enables the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) to promote ferroptosis in morphine-treated SH-SY5Y cells.

RATIONALE: While morphine has important therapeutic value it is also one of the most widely abused drugs in the world. As a newly discovered style of cell death, ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and development of many diseases, however, the current understanding of the relationship between ferroptosis and morphine is still limited. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of opioid receptors in morphine-induced ferroptosis and to investigate the role of NRF2 in morphine-induced ferroptosis. METHODS: We first used different doses of morphine (0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mM) to investigate morphine-induced ferroptosis in SH-SY5Y cells, and we choose 1.5 mM morphine for subsequent experiments. We next inhibited opioid receptors and NRF2 separately and examined their influence on morphine-induced ferroptosis. Finally, we tested morphine-induced insufficient autophagy. RESULTS: Morphine triggered ferroptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which could be significantly rescued by the ferroptosis-specific inhibitor DFO. Moreover, GPX4 rather than xCT antiporter might be involved in morphine-induced ferroptosis. We also found naloxone could inhibit morphine-induced ferroptosis. Interestingly, our results demonstrated that NRF2 could promote rather than defend morphine-induced ferroptosis; this may be due to the increased p62-related insufficient autophagy. CONCLUSION: Morphine-induced ferroptosis is regulated by the opioid receptor and GPX4 rather than the xCT antiporter. NRF2-mediated ferroptosis in morphine-exposed cells may stem from increased p62-related insufficient autophagy.

Walnut Protein Peptides Ameliorate DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis Damage in Mice: An in Silico Analysis and in Vivo Investigation.

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is a food with food-medicine homology, whose derived protein peptides have been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. However, the effects and mechanisms of walnut protein peptides on ulcerative colitis (UC) in vivo have not been systematically and thoroughly investigated. In this study, we applied virtual screening and network pharmacology screening of bioactive peptides to obtain three novel WPPs (SHTLP, HYNLN, and LGTYP) that may alleviate UC through TLR4-MAPK signaling. In vivo studies have shown that WPPs improve intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction and reduce inflammation by inhibiting activation of the TLR4-MAPK pathway. In addition, WPPs restore intestinal microbial homeostasis by reducing harmful bacteria (Helicobacter and Bacteroides) and increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria (Candidatus_Saccharimonas). Our study showed that the WPPs obtained by virtual screening were effective in ameliorating colitis, which has important implications for future screening of bioactive peptides from medicinal food homologues as drugs or dietary supplements.

Enhanced tight junction in Caco-2 cells by the pretreatment with Lactobacillus johnsonii strain MG.

We investigated roles of Lactobacillus johnsonii MG (MG) isolated from mice with interaction with tight junction on gut barrier function with Caco-2 cell model. Pretreatment with MG enhanced barrier function and showed protective effect against Enterococcus faecium provided damage. MG treatment increased the gene expressions of transcriptional regulator NFKB and major tight junction protein, ZO-1.

Isolation, Identification, Activity Evaluation, and Mechanism of Action of Neuroprotective Peptides from Walnuts: A Review.

As human life expectancy increases, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases in older adults has increased in parallel. Walnuts contain bioactive peptides with demonstrated neuroprotective effects, making them a valuable addition to the diet. We here present a comprehensive review of the various methods used to prepare, isolate, purify, and identify the neuroprotective peptides found in walnuts. We further summarise the different approaches currently used to evaluate the activity of these peptides in experimental settings, highlighting their potential to reduce oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and promote autophagy, as well as to regulate the gut microflora and balance the cholinergic system. Finally, we offer suggestions for future research concerning bioavailability and improving or masking the bitter taste and sensory properties of final products containing the identified walnut neuroprotective peptides to ensure successful adoption of these peptides as functional food ingredients for neurohealth promotion.

Kappa opioid receptor in nucleus accumbens regulates depressive-like behaviors following prolonged morphine withdrawal in mice.

Prolonged withdrawal from opioids leads to negative emotions. Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) plays an important role in opioid addiction and affective disorders. However, the underlying mechanism of KOR in withdrawal-related depression is still lacking. We found that escitalopram treatment had a limited effect in improving depression symptoms in heroin-dependent patients. In mice, we demonstrated prolonged (4 weeks) but not acute (24 h) withdrawal from morphine induced depressive-like behaviors. The number of c-Fos positive cells and the expression of KOR in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), were significantly increased in the prolonged morphine withdrawal mice. Conditional KOR knockdown in NAc significantly improved depressive-like behaviors. Repeated but not acute treatment with the KOR antagonist norBNI improved depressive-like behaviors and reversed PSD95, synaptophysin, p-ERK, p-CREB, and BDNF in NAc. This study demonstrated the important role of striatal KOR in morphine withdrawal-related depressive-like behaviors and offered therapeutic potential for the treatment of withdrawal-related depression.

Moringa oleifera Lam. Isothiocyanate Quinazolinone Derivatives Inhibit U251 Glioma Cell Proliferation through Cell Cycle Regulation and Apoptosis Induction.

A major active constituent of Moringa oleifera Lam. is 4-[(α-L-rhamnose oxy) benzyl] isothiocyanate (MITC). To broaden MITC's application and improve its biological activity, we synthesized a series of MITC quinazolinone derivatives and evaluated their anticancer activity. The anticancer effects and mechanisms of the compound with the most potent anticancer activity were investigated further. Among 16 MITC quinazolinone derivatives which were analyzed, MITC-12 significantly inhibited the growth of U251, A375, A431, HCT-116, HeLa, and MDA-MB-231 cells. MITC-12 significantly inhibited U251 cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner and decreased the number of EdU-positive cells, but was not toxic to normal human gastric mucosal cells (GES-1). Further, MITC-12 induced apoptosis of U251 cells, and increased caspase-3 expression levels and the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio. In addition, MITC-12 significantly decreased the proportion of U251 cells in the G1 phase and increased it in S and G2 phases. Transcriptome sequencing showed that MITC-12 had a significant regulatory effect on pathways regulating the cell cycle. Further, MITC-12 significantly decreased the expression levels of the cell cycle-related proteins CDK2, cyclinD1, and cyclinE, and increased those of cyclinA2, as well as the p-JNK:JNK ratio. These results indicate that MITC-12 inhibits U251 cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, activating JNK, and regulating cell cycle-associated proteins. MITC-12 has potential for use in the prevention and treatment of glioma.

GAPDH Released from Lactobacillus johnsonii MG Enhances Barrier Function by Upregulating Genes Associated with Tight Junctions.

Extracellular glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) has multiple interactions with various gut epithelial components. For instance, GAPDH in Lactobacillus johnsonii MG cells interacts with junctional adhesion molecule-2 (JAM-2) in Caco-2 cells and enhances tight junctions. However, the specificity of GAPDH toward JAM-2 and its role in the tight junctions in Caco-2 cells remain unclear. In the present study, we assessed the effect of GAPDH on tight junction regeneration and explored the GAPDH peptide fragments required for interaction with JAM-2. GAPDH was specifically bound to JAM-2 and rescued H2O2-damaged tight junctions in Caco-2 cells, with various genes being upregulated in the tight junctions. To understand the specific amino acid sequence of GAPDH that interacts with JAM-2, peptides interacting with JAM-2 and L. johnsonii MG cells were purified using HPLC and predicted using TOF-MS analysis. Two peptides, namely 11GRIGRLAF18 at the N-terminus and 323SFTCQMVRTLLKFATL338 at the C-terminus, displayed good interactions and docking with JAM-2. In contrast, the long peptide 52DSTHGTFNHEVSATDDSIVVDGKKYRVYAEPQAQNIPW89 was predicted to bind to the bacterial cell surface. Overall, we revealed a novel role of GAPDH purified from L. johnsonii MG in promoting the regeneration of damaged tight junctions and identified the specific sequences of GAPDH involved in JAM-2 binding and MG cell interaction.

Obesity, but not high-fat diet, is associated with bone loss that is reversed via CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs-mediated gut microbiome of non-obese mice.

Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone mass, microarchitectural deterioration, and increased bone fragility. High-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity also results in bone loss, which is associated with an imbalanced gut microbiome. However, whether HFD-induced obesity or HFD itself promotes osteoclastogenesis and consequent bone loss remains unclear. In this study, we developed HFD-induced obesity (HIO) and non-obesity (NO) mouse models to evaluate the effect of HFD on bone loss. NO mice were defined as body weight within 5% of higher or lower than that of chow diet fed mice after 10 weeks HFD feeding. NO was protected from HIO-induced bone loss by the RANKL /OPG system, with associated increases in the tibia tenacity, cortical bone mean density, bone volume of cancellous bone, and trabecular number. This led to increased bone strength and improved bone microstructure via the microbiome-short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) regulation. Additionally, endogenous gut-SCFAs produced by the NO mice activated free fatty acid receptor 2 and inhibited histone deacetylases, resulting in the promotion of Treg cell proliferation in the HFD-fed NO mice; thereby, inhibiting osteoclastogenesis, which can be transplanted by fecal microbiome. Furthermore, T cells from NO mice retain differentiation of osteoclast precursors of RAW 264.7 macrophages ex vivo. Our data reveal that HFD is not a deleterious diet; however, the induction of obesity serves as a key trigger of bone loss that can be blocked by a NO mouse-specific gut microbiome.

The dependences of mesenchymal stem cells commitments on the size, concentration, internalization and exposure time of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles through F-actin, Lamin A and ROS.

Though magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are approved for clinical use as contrast agents for MR imaging in United States and Europe, and are widely used to label cells in research, the relationship between IONPs and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is not fully addressed. Here the effects of consistently appeared γ-Fe2 O3 on the lineage commitment of MSCs were studied to optimize applications of IONPs in MSCs upon verification of viability. 30 nm 10 µg/mL induced highest promotions on osteogenesis, while 30 and 50 nm of 100 µg/mL elicited most chondrogensis in 14 days, where the effects on ALP, GAG and SOX9 appeared after 7 days, while on RUNX2 came out after 10 days. γ-Fe2 O3 enhanced intracellular and extracellular Fe3+ and ROS, modulated F-actin and decreased Lamin A of MSCs at different time scale. The disturbances of F-actin, Lamin A or ROS altered the effects of γ-Fe2 O3 on MSC differentiation. Our results demonstrate that different size, concentration and modulation of γ-Fe2 O3 are needed in its MSC applications for bone and cartilage tissues. Furthermore, an undocumented phenomenon that the modulation of F-actin affected the Lamin A expression in MSCs was observed.

Effects of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß activity inhibition on cognitive, behavioral, and hippocampal ultrastructural deficits in adulthood associated with adolescent methamphetamine exposure.

Objective: Glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK3ß) has been implicated in the maintenance of synaptic plasticity, memory process, and psychostimulant-induced behavioral effects. Hyperactive GSK3ß in the Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) subregion of the dorsal hippocampus (DHP) was associated with adolescent methamphetamine (METH) exposure-induced behavioral and cognitive deficits in adulthood. This study aimed to evaluate the possible therapeutic effects of GSK3ß inhibition in adulthood on adolescent METH exposure-induced long-term neurobiological deficits. Methods: Adolescent male mice were treated with METH from postnatal day (PND) 45-51. In adulthood, three intervention protocols (acute lithium chloride systemic administration, chronic lithium chloride systemic administration, and chronic SB216763 administration within CA1) were used for GSK3ß activity inhibition. The effect of GSK3ß intervention on cognition, behavior, and GSK3ß activity and synaptic ultrastructure in the DHP CA1 subregion were detected in adulthood. Results: In adulthood, all three interventions reduced adolescent METH exposure-induced hyperactivity (PND97), while only chronic systemic and chronic within CA1 administration ameliorated the induced impairments in spatial (PND99), social (PND101) and object (PND103) recognition memory. In addition, although three interventions reversed the aberrant GSK3ß activity in the DHP CA1 subregion (PND104), only chronic systemic and chronic within CA1 administration rescued adolescent METH exposure-induced synaptic ultrastructure changes in the DHP CA1 subregion (PND104) in adulthood. Conclusion: Rescuing synaptic ultrastructural abnormalities in the dHIP CA1 subregion by chronic administration of a GSK3ß inhibitor may be a suitable therapeutic strategy for the treatment of behavioral and cognitive deficits in adulthood associated with adolescent METH abuse.

Exploring the common pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus via microarray data analysis.

Background: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) have an increased incidence in modern society. Although more and more evidence has supported that DM is prone to AD, the interrelational mechanisms remain fully elucidated. Purpose: The primary purpose of this study is to explore the shared pathophysiological mechanisms of AD and DM. Methods: Download the expression matrix of AD and DM from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database with sequence numbers GSE97760 and GSE95849, respectively. The common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by limma package analysis. Then we analyzed the six kinds of module analysis: gene functional annotation, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, potential drug screening, immune cell infiltration, hub genes identification and validation, and prediction of transcription factors (TFs). Results: The subsequent analyses included 339 common DEGs, and the importance of immunity, hormone, cytokines, neurotransmitters, and insulin in these diseases was underscored by functional analysis. In addition, serotonergic synapse, ovarian steroidogenesis, estrogen signaling pathway, and regulation of lipolysis are closely related to both. DEGs were input into the CMap database to screen small molecule compounds with the potential to reverse AD and DM pathological functions. L-690488, exemestane, and BMS-345541 ranked top three among the screened small molecule compounds. Finally, 10 essential hub genes were identified using cytoHubba, including PTGS2, RAB10, LRRK2, SOS1, EEA1, NF1, RAB14, ADCY5, RAPGEF3, and PRKACG. For the characteristic Aß and Tau pathology of AD, RAPGEF3 was associated significantly positively with AD and NF1 significantly negatively with AD. In addition, we also found ADCY5 and NF1 significant correlations with DM phenotypes. Other datasets verified that NF1, RAB14, ADCY5, and RAPGEF3 could be used as key markers of DM complicated with AD. Meanwhile, the immune cell infiltration score reflects the different cellular immune microenvironments of the two diseases. Conclusion: The common pathogenesis of AD and DM was revealed in our research. These common pathways and hub genes directions for further exploration of the pathogenesis or treatment of these two diseases.

Lactobacillus johnsonii enhances the gut barrier integrity via the interaction between GAPDH and the mouse tight junction protein JAM-2.

Commensal intestinal microbiota interacts with gut epithelial cells in the host by binding to specific host receptors. Several pattern recognition receptors on the gut that sense conserved microbial-associated molecular patterns have been reported; however, many of the gut receptor molecules involved in bacterial binding have not yet been identified. In this study, commensal intestinal bacteria interacting with mouse gut surface proteins were screened from fecal bacterial samples, to identify novel receptors on the epithelial cells in the mouse gut. Among the screened intestinal lactic acid bacteria, the frequently isolated Lactobacillus johnsonii MG was used for the purification of gut receptor proteins. An approximately 30 kDa protein was purified using affinity resin coupled surface layer proteins isolated from L. johnsonii MG. The purified gut protein was identified as a member of the tight junction protein family, junctional adhesion molecule-2 (JAM-2). As expected, the tight junctions of Caco-2 cells damaged by H2O2 were repaired by incubation with L. johnsonii MG. RNA sequence analysis showed significant upregulation of the expression of genes for tight junctions, anti-inflammatory effects, transcriptional regulation, and apoptosis in Caco-2 cells, following L. johnsonii MG treatment. In L. johnsonii MG, the surface layer 40 kDa protein was purified with gut protein-coupled affinity resin and identified as the moonlighting protein glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). These results suggest that L. johnsonii MG promotes the barrier function integrity in Caco-2 cells via GAPDH-JAM-2 binding. Here, we propose a promising approach to identify novel gut receptor molecules based on commensal bacterial interactions and understand host-bacterial communication in a mouse model.

Moringa oleifera Lam. Peptide Remodels Intestinal Mucosal Barrier by Inhibiting JAK-STAT Activation and Modulating Gut Microbiota in Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but progress in exploring its pathogenesis and finding effective drugs for its prevention and treatment has stalled in recent years. The seeds of Moringa oleifera Lam. are rich in proteins known to have multiple physiological activities. In our earlier work, we had isolated and purified a peptide (MOP) having the sequence KETTTIVR, from M. oleifera seeds; however, its anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism in vivo were unclear. Here we used the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model to study the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of this MOP. Our results are the first to show that MOP can ameliorate the pathological phenotype, inflammation, and intestinal barrier disruption in mice with colitis. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed that MOP inhibits the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway activation. Next, by using 16s rRNA gene sequencing, we found that MOP can ameliorate DSS-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis. In addition, an untargeted metabolomics analysis suggested that MOP is able to modulate the level of lipid and amino acid metabolites in IBD-stricken mice. Altogether, these results indicate that MOP ameliorates colitis by remodeling intestinal mucosal barrier by inhibiting JAK-STAT pathway's activation and regulating gut microbiota and its metabolites, thus providing a basis for further processing and design of bioactive foods from M. oleifera seeds.

Physicochemical and Colon Cancer Cell Inhibitory Properties of Theabrownins Prepared by Weak Alkali Oxidation of Tea Polyphenols.

Existing studies on the biological activity of theabrownins are not based on their free state but on the complexes of theabrownins, polysaccharides, proteins, and flavonoids. In this study, theabrownins (TBs-C) were prepared by weak alkali oxidation of tea polyphenols. The ultraviolet-visible scanning spectrum of TBs-C showed two characteristic absorption peaks at 203 and 270 nm. The zeta potential of the TBs-C aqueous solution was negative, and the values varied from - 6.26 to -19.55 mV with a solution pH of 3-9. Storage conditions of pH 5.0-7.0 and around 25 °C were beneficial for the physical and chemical stability of the TBS-C solution. Cells were treated with series concentrations and examined by MTT, HE staining, PI immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR to investigate the antiproliferative effect of TBs-C on human colon cancer HT-29 cells. The results showed that TBs-C, particularly at 500 µg/mL, inhibited cell growth. TBs-C induced HT-29 cell apoptosis, as confirmed by morphological changes, nucleus propidium iodide staining, and distributions of the cell cycle. The apoptotic mechanism may be due to the intracellular redox imbalance induced by TBs-C.

Study on the Mechanism of Reducing Hepatotoxicity of Water-Grinding Realgar by Metabolomics, Morphology, and Chemical Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Realgar was usually selected as a substitute for arsenic trioxide to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia due to its higher effect without high cardiotoxicity. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), realgar is usually processed by the water-grinding method clinically, but the mechanism of realgar processing detoxification is still unclear. However, it is necessary to take safety and efficacy into account while evaluating a drug. METHODS: Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into control group, realgar products-treated groups, and corresponding subgroups. Biochemistry analysis and histopathological examination were performed in the study, and plasma samples were collected from all the rats for metabolomics analysis. RESULTS: No significant toxicity was observed in rats treated with 0.64 g/kg/day grinding realgar (G-r) and water-grinding realgar (WG-r). When the dose increased to 1.92 g/kg/day, the liver weight coefficients of the rats treated with G-r (HG-r: 3.65 ± 0.26%) and WG-r (HWG-r: 3.67 ± 0.14%) increased significantly and severe hepatic injury occurred in comparison to the control group (Group C: 3.00 ± 0.21%). After one week's withdrawal, the liver injury caused by the high dose of WG-r significantly recovered, while the liver damage caused by G-r was more difficult to recover. In metabolomics analysis, 14 metabolites were identified as the potential biomarkers in realgar-treated rats. These metabolites indicated that there were perturbations of the primary bile acid biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism in the realgar-treated groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results illustrate that, as a TCM processing method, water grinding had the effect of reducing toxicity, and the metabolomics method may be a valuable tool for studying the toxicity induced by TCM and the mechanism of TCM processing.

Effect of cultivation ages on anti-inflammatory activity of a new type of red ginseng.

Ginseng has been widely applied in clinical practice, but the cultivation age cannot be ignored as it influences the quality of ginseng and its products. In this work, different cultivation ages of fresh ginseng (FG) from four to seven years were analysed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Principal component analysis and supervised orthogonal partial least squared discrimination analysis, which belong to the normal method of multivariate statistical analysis, were applied to discover the characteristic components of FG at different cultivation ages. The components of new type of red ginseng (NRG) derived from FG at different cultivation ages were compared by HPLC analysis. The pharmacological anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by ELISA and qPCR. The result showed that the characteristic components of both 6- and 7-year-old ginseng were ginsenoside Rb1, mal-ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Rc, mal-ginsenoside Rc, mal-ginsenoside Rb1 isomer, and mal-ginsenoside Rb2. Moreover, the characteristic components of both 4- and 5-year-old ginseng were ADP-glucose and 3-hydroxyhexanoyl CoA. In addition, 6-year-old NRG has higher rare ginsenosides than 4-year-old NRG, which possesses great anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. The results reveal the ginsenoside transformation law of NRG processing and suggest that the cultivation age of FG influences the content of ginsenosides in NRG. Therefore, 6-year-old ginseng is more suitable for red ginseng processing and clinical use.

The rate of fluid shear stress is a potent regulator for the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

We have previously demonstrated that the rate of fluid shear stress (ΔSS) can manipulate the fate of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to osteogenic or chondrogenic cells. However, whether ΔSS is comparable to other two means of induction medium and substrate stiffness that have been proven to be potent in differentiation control is unknown. In this study, we subjected MSCs to 1-7 days of osteogenic or chondrogenic chemical induction, or 1-4 days of 37 or 86 kPa of substrate stiffness induction, followed by 20 min of Fast ΔSS (0-0') or Slow ΔSS (0-2'), which is a laminar FSS that linearly increased from 0 to 10 dyn/cm 2 in 0 (Fast) or 2 min (Slow) and maintained at 10 dyn/cm 2 for a total of 20 min. We found that 20 min of ΔSS could compete with 5 days' chemical and 2 days' substrate stiffness inductions. Our study confirmed that ΔSS is a powerful tool to control the differentiation of MSCs, which stressed the possible application in MSCs linage specification.

Map and correlate intracellular calcium response and matrix deposition in cartilage under physiological oxygen tensions.

Face to the limited repair capability of cartilage, we intended to find out signaling responsible for its matrix synthesis. Since spontaneous calcium response likes a label of cell status, here it was mapped in fresh and 24 hr cultured in situ chondrocytes under oxygen tensions of 20%, 5%, and 1% as well as mimic hypoxia conditions. The calcium source was traced using ethylene glycol-bis (ß-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and thapsigargin (TG) to treat cartilage. Their relative matrix of type II collagen (COLL-II) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) were quantified after cultured for 3 and 7 days. We disclosed the specific fingerprint of calcium response and matrix deposition along the histological zones under various oxygen tensions, from which the effects of hyperoxia, normoxia, and hypoxia conditions on as well as the optimal oxygen tensions for maintenance of various zones of cartilage or chondrocytes were derived and obtained. Our results revealed that cytoplasm calcium was conducive to synthesize COLL-II but detrimental to synthesize GAG. These results provide correlation in addition to details of intracellular calcium response and matrix deposition in in situ cartilage along its histological zones under physiological oxygen tensions.