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van der Kraan PM, van Caam AP, Blaney Davidson EN, van den Bosch MH, van de Loo FA. Growth factors that drive aggrecan synthesis in healthy articular cartilage. Role for transforming growth factor-β? OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE OPEN 2024; 6:100459. [PMID: 38486843 PMCID: PMC10938168 DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2024.100459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Articular cartilage makes smooth movement possible and destruction of this tissue leads to loss of joint function. An important biomolecule that determines this function is the large aggregating proteoglycan of cartilage, aggrecan. Aggrecan has a relatively short half-life in cartilage and therefore continuous production of this molecule is essential. Methods In this narrative review we discuss what is the role of growth factors in driving the synthesis of aggrecan in articular cartilage. A literature search has been done using the search items; cartilage, aggrecan, explant, Transforming Growth factor-β (TGF-β), Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) and the generic term "growth factors". Focus has been on studies using healthy cartilage and models of cartilage regeneration have been excluded. Results In healthy adult articular cartilage IGF is the main factor that drives aggrecan synthesis and maintains adequate levels of production. BMP's and TGF-β have a very limited role but appear to be more important during chondrogenesis and cartilage development. The major role of TGF-β is not stimulation of aggrecan synthesis but maintenance of the differentiated articular cartilage chondrocyte phenotype. Conclusion TGF-β is a factor that is generally considered as an important factor in stimulating aggrecan synthesis in cartilage but its role in this might be very restrained in healthy, adult articular cartilage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arjan P.M. van Caam
- Radboudumc, Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Esmeralda N. Blaney Davidson
- Radboudumc, Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn H.J. van den Bosch
- Radboudumc, Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Fons A.J. van de Loo
- Radboudumc, Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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2
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Minamisawa Y, Shirogane T, Watanabe I, Dezawa A. Histological analysis of nucleus pulposus tissue from patients with lumbar disc herniation after condoliase administration. JOR Spine 2024; 7:e1328. [PMID: 38577652 PMCID: PMC10988692 DOI: 10.1002/jsp2.1328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Condoliase is an enzyme used as a treatment for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). This enzyme degrades chondroitin sulfate (CS) in the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc (IVD). However, there are cases in which symptoms do not improve, despite condoliase administration. This study reports histological analysis of lumbar disc tissue of LDH patients who underwent surgery because condoliase had no therapeutic effect. Methods Between March 2019 and August 2019, 12 LDH patients who underwent full endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) discectomy at the Dezawa Akira PED Clinic were the subjects of the study. There are two study groups: six cases underwent FESS after condoliase administration, while six underwent FESS without condoliase administration. The average duration from drug administration to surgery was 152 days. Herniated disc removed at surgery was evaluated by histological staining including immunohistochemistry by anti-CS antibodies. Results Multiple large clusters (40-120 μm in diameter) were observed in the nucleus pulposus of those who received condoliase, but no clusters were observed in those who did not. The lumbar disc tissues, including the nucleus pulposus of recipients, were stained with anti-CS antibodies that recognize the CS unsaturated disaccharide, but non-administration tissue was not stained. These findings suggest that the enzyme acted on the nucleus pulposus, even in cases where symptoms were not improved by condoliase administration. Furthermore, there was no histological difference between stained images of the extracellular matrix in those who did or did not receive condoliase, suggesting that condoliase acted specifically on CS in the nucleus pulposus. Conclusions We demonstrated that CS in the nucleus pulposus was degraded in patients in whom condoliase did not have a therapeutic effect. Moreover, condoliase acts in human IVD without causing necrosis of chondrocytes and surrounding tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Minamisawa
- Central Research LaboratoriesSeikagaku CorporationTokyoJapan
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Zhao XX, Xie WQ, Xiao WF, Li HZ, Naranmandakh S, Bruyere O, Reginster JY, Li YS. Perlecan: Roles in osteoarthritis and potential treating target. Life Sci 2022; 312:121190. [PMID: 36379311 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, affecting hundreds of millions of people globally, which leads to a high cost of treatment and further medical care and an apparent decrease in patient prognosis. The recent view of OA pathogenesis is that increased vascularity, bone remodeling, and disordered turnover are influenced by multivariate risk factors, such as age, obesity, and overloading. The view also reveals the gap between the development of these processes and early stage risk factors. This review presents the latest research on OA-related signaling pathways and analyzes the potential roles of perlecan, a typical component of the well-known protective structure against osteoarthritic pericellular matrix (PCM). Based on the experimental results observed in end-stage OA models, we summarized and analyzed the role of perlecan in the development of OA. In normal cartilage, it plays a protective role by maintaining the integrin of PCM and sequesters growth factors. Second, perlecan in cartilage is required to not only activate vascular epithelium growth factor receptor (VEGFR) signaling of endothelial cells for vascular invasion and catabolic autophagy, but also for different signaling pathways for the catabolic and anabolic actions of chondrocytes. Finally, perlecan may participate in pain sensitization pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Xuan Zhao
- Deparment of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan, China
| | - Wen-Qing Xie
- Deparment of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Wen-Feng Xiao
- Deparment of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Heng-Zhen Li
- Deparment of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Shinen Naranmandakh
- School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Sukhbaatar district, 14201 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Olivier Bruyere
- Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, CHU Sart Tilman B23, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-Yves Reginster
- Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, CHU Sart Tilman B23, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Yu-Sheng Li
- Deparment of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China.
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Coveney CR, Samvelyan HJ, Miotla-Zarebska J, Carnegie J, Chang E, Corrin CJ, Coveney T, Stott B, Parisi I, Duarte C, Vincent TL, Staines KA, Wann AK. Ciliary IFT88 Protects Coordinated Adolescent Growth Plate Ossification From Disruptive Physiological Mechanical Forces. J Bone Miner Res 2022; 37:1081-1096. [PMID: 35038201 PMCID: PMC9304194 DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.4502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Compared with our understanding of endochondral ossification, much less is known about the coordinated arrest of growth defined by the narrowing and fusion of the cartilaginous growth plate. Throughout the musculoskeletal system, appropriate cell and tissue responses to mechanical force delineate morphogenesis and ensure lifelong health. It remains unclear how mechanical cues are integrated into many biological programs, including those coordinating the ossification of the adolescent growth plate at the cessation of growth. Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles tuning a range of cell activities, including signaling cascades activated or modulated by extracellular biophysical cues. Cilia have been proposed to directly facilitate cell mechanotransduction. To explore the influence of primary cilia in the mouse adolescent limb, we conditionally targeted the ciliary gene Intraflagellar transport protein 88 (Ift88fl/fl ) in the juvenile and adolescent skeleton using a cartilage-specific, inducible Cre (AggrecanCreERT2 Ift88fl/fl ). Deletion of IFT88 in cartilage, which reduced ciliation in the growth plate, disrupted chondrocyte differentiation, cartilage resorption, and mineralization. These effects were largely restricted to peripheral tibial regions beneath the load-bearing compartments of the knee. These regions were typified by an enlarged population of hypertrophic chondrocytes. Although normal patterns of hedgehog signaling were maintained, targeting IFT88 inhibited hypertrophic chondrocyte VEGF expression and downstream vascular recruitment, osteoclastic activity, and the replacement of cartilage with bone. In control mice, increases to physiological loading also impair ossification in the peripheral growth plate, mimicking the effects of IFT88 deletion. Limb immobilization inhibited changes to VEGF expression and epiphyseal morphology in Ift88cKO mice, indicating the effects of depletion of IFT88 in the adolescent growth plate are mechano-dependent. We propose that during this pivotal phase in adolescent skeletal maturation, ciliary IFT88 protects uniform, coordinated ossification of the growth plate from an otherwise disruptive heterogeneity of physiological mechanical forces. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa R Coveney
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hasmik J Samvelyan
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
| | - Jadwiga Miotla-Zarebska
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Josephine Carnegie
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emer Chang
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - C Jonty Corrin
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Trystan Coveney
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bryony Stott
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ida Parisi
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Claudia Duarte
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Tonia L Vincent
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Katherine A Staines
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
| | - Angus Kt Wann
- Centre for OA Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis, The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Hodgkinson T, Amado IN, O'Brien FJ, Kennedy OD. The role of mechanobiology in bone and cartilage model systems in characterizing initiation and progression of osteoarthritis. APL Bioeng 2022. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0068277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Hodgkinson
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Isabel N. Amado
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fergal J. O'Brien
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Advanced Materials Bio-Engineering Research Centre (AMBER), Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Oran D. Kennedy
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Advanced Materials Bio-Engineering Research Centre (AMBER), Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Regulation of FGF-2, FGF-18 and Transcription Factor Activity by Perlecan in the Maturational Development of Transitional Rudiment and Growth Plate Cartilages and in the Maintenance of Permanent Cartilage Homeostasis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23041934. [PMID: 35216048 PMCID: PMC8872392 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23041934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to highlight the roles of perlecan in the regulation of the development of the rudiment developmental cartilages and growth plate cartilages, and also to show how perlecan maintains permanent articular cartilage homeostasis. Cartilage rudiments are transient developmental templates containing chondroprogenitor cells that undergo proliferation, matrix deposition, and hypertrophic differentiation. Growth plate cartilage also undergoes similar changes leading to endochondral bone formation, whereas permanent cartilage is maintained as an articular structure and does not undergo maturational changes. Pericellular and extracellular perlecan-HS chains interact with growth factors, morphogens, structural matrix glycoproteins, proteases, and inhibitors to promote matrix stabilization and cellular proliferation, ECM remodelling, and tissue expansion. Perlecan has mechanotransductive roles in cartilage that modulate chondrocyte responses in weight-bearing environments. Nuclear perlecan may modulate chromatin structure and transcription factor access to DNA and gene regulation. Snail-1, a mesenchymal marker and transcription factor, signals through FGFR-3 to promote chondrogenesis and maintain Acan and type II collagen levels in articular cartilage, but prevents further tissue expansion. Pre-hypertrophic growth plate chondrocytes also express high Snail-1 levels, leading to cessation of Acan and CoI2A1 synthesis and appearance of type X collagen. Perlecan differentially regulates FGF-2 and FGF-18 to maintain articular cartilage homeostasis, rudiment and growth plate cartilage growth, and maturational changes including mineralization, contributing to skeletal growth.
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Reed DA, Zhao Y, Bagheri Varzaneh M, Shin JS, Rozynek J, Miloro M, Han M. NG2/CSPG4 regulates cartilage degeneration during TMJ osteoarthritis. FRONTIERS IN DENTAL MEDICINE 2022; 3:1004942. [PMID: 36685663 PMCID: PMC9850834 DOI: 10.3389/fdmed.2022.1004942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in the mechanical homeostasis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can lead to the initiation and progression of degenerative arthropathies such as osteoarthritis (OA). Cells sense and engage with their mechanical microenvironment through interactions with the extracellular matrix. In the mandibular condylar cartilage, the pericellular microenvironment is composed of type VI collagen. NG2/CSPG4 is a transmembrane proteoglycan that binds with type VI collagen, and has been implicated in the cell stress response through mechanical loading-sensitive signaling networks including ERK 1/2. The objective of this study is to define the role of NG2/CSPG4 in the initiation and progression of TMJ OA and to determine if NG2/CSPG4 engages ERK 1/2 in a mechanical loading dependent manner. In vivo, we induced TMJ OA in control and NG2/CSPG4 knockout mice using a surgical destabilization approach. In control mice, NG2/CSPG4 is depleted during the early stages of TMJ OA and NG2/CSPG4 knockout mice have more severe cartilage degeneration, elevated expression of key OA proteases, and suppression of OA matrix synthesis genes. In vitro, we characterized the transcriptome and protein from control and NG2/CSPG4 knockout cells and found significant dysregulation of the ERK 1/2 signaling axis. To characterize the mechanobiological response of NG2/CSPG4, we applied mechanical loads on cell-agarose-collagen scaffolds using a compression bioreactor and illustrate that NG2/CSPG4 knockout cells fail to mechanically activate ERK 1/2 and are associated with changes in the expression of the same key OA biomarkers measured in vivo. Together, these findings implicate NG2/CSPG4 in the mechanical homeostasis of TMJ cartilage and in the progression of degenerative arthropathies including OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Reed
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States,,CORRESPONDENCE: David A. Reed,
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mina Bagheri Varzaneh
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jun Soo Shin
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jacob Rozynek
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Michael Miloro
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Michael Han
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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8
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Mechanosignalling in cartilage: an emerging target for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2021; 18:67-84. [PMID: 34934171 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-021-00724-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical stimuli have fundamental roles in articular cartilage during health and disease. Chondrocytes respond to the physical properties of the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) and the mechanical forces exerted on them during joint loading. In osteoarthritis (OA), catabolic processes degrade the functional ECM and the composition and viscoelastic properties of the ECM produced by chondrocytes are altered. The abnormal loading environment created by these alterations propagates cell dysfunction and inflammation. Chondrocytes sense their physical environment via an array of mechanosensitive receptors and channels that activate a complex network of downstream signalling pathways to regulate several cell processes central to OA pathology. Advances in understanding the complex roles of specific mechanosignalling mechanisms in healthy and OA cartilage have highlighted molecular processes that can be therapeutically targeted to interrupt pathological feedback loops. The potential for combining these mechanosignalling targets with the rapidly expanding field of smart mechanoresponsive biomaterials and delivery systems is an emerging paradigm in OA treatment. The continued advances in this field have the potential to enable restoration of healthy mechanical microenvironments and signalling through the development of precision therapeutics, mechanoregulated biomaterials and drug systems in the near future.
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9
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Impact of perlecan, a core component of basement membrane, on regeneration of cartilaginous tissues. Acta Biomater 2021; 135:13-26. [PMID: 34454085 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
As an indispensable component of the extracellular matrix, perlecan (Pln) plays an essential role in cartilaginous tissue function. Although there exist studies suggesting that Pln expressed by cartilaginous tissues is critical for chondrogenesis, few papers have discussed the potential impact Pln may have on cartilage regeneration. In this review, we delineate Pln structure, biomechanical properties, and interactive ligands-which together contribute to the effect Pln has on cartilaginous tissue development. We also review how the signaling pathways of Pln affect cartilage development and scrutinize the potential application of Pln to divisions of cartilage regeneration, spanning vascularization, stem cell differentiation, and biomaterial improvement. The aim of this review is to deepen our understanding of the spatial and temporal interactions that occur between Pln and cartilaginous tissue and ultimately apply Pln in scaffold design to improve cell-based cartilage engineering and regeneration. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: As a key component of the basement membrane, Pln plays a critical role in tissue development and repair. Recent findings suggest that Pln existing in the pericellular matrix surrounding mature chondrocytes is actively involved in cartilage regeneration and functionality. We propose that Pln is essential to developing an in vitro matrix niche within biological scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.
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Coveney CR, Zhu L, Miotla-Zarebska J, Stott B, Parisi I, Batchelor V, Duarte C, Chang E, McSorley E, Vincent TL, Wann AK. The ciliary protein IFT88 controls post-natal cartilage thickness and influences development of osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2021; 74:49-59. [PMID: 34105311 DOI: 10.1002/art.41894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mechanical and biological cues drive cellular signalling in cartilage development, health, and disease. Proteins of the primary cilium, implicated in transduction of biophysiochemical signals, control cartilage formation during skeletal development, but their influence in post-natal cartilage remains unknown. METHODS Ift88fl/fl and AggrecanCreERT2 mice were crossed to create a cartilage-specific, inducible knockout mouse AggrecanCreERT2 ;Ift88fl/fl . Tibial articular cartilage (AC) thickness was assessed, through adolescence and adulthood, by histomorphometry and integrity by OARSI score. In situ mechanisms were investigated by immunohistochemistry (IHC), RNA scope and qPCR of micro-dissected cartilage. OA was induced by surgical destabilisation (DMM). Mice voluntarily exercised using wheels. RESULTS Deletion of IFT88 resulted in progressive reductions in medial AC thickness during adolescence, and marked atrophy in adulthood. At 34 weeks of age, medial thickness was reduced from 104.00μm, [100.30-110.50, 95% CI] in Ift88fl/fl to 89.42μm [84.00-93.49, 95% CI] in AggrecanCreERT2 ;Ift88fl/fl (p<0.0001), associated with reductions in calcified cartilage. Occasionally, atrophy was associated with complete, spontaneous, medial cartilage degradation. Following DMM, AggrecanCreERT2 ;Ift88fl/fl mice had increased OA scores. Atrophy in mature AC was not associated with obvious increases in aggrecanase-mediated destruction or chondrocyte hypertrophy. Of 44 candidate genes analysed, only Tcf7l2 correlated with Ift88 expression in micro-dissected cartilage. However, RNA scope revealed increased hedgehog (Hh) signalling (Gli1), associated with reductions in Ift88, in AggrecanCreERT2 ;Ift88fl/fl cartilage. Wheel exercise restored both AC thickness and levels of Hh signalling in AggrecanCreERT2 ;Ift88fl/fl . CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that IFT88 is chondroprotective, regulating AC thickness, potentially by thresholding a Hh response to physiological loading that controls cartilage calcification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa R Coveney
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Linyi Zhu
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Jadwiga Miotla-Zarebska
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Bryony Stott
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Ida Parisi
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Vicky Batchelor
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Claudia Duarte
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Emer Chang
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Eleanor McSorley
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Tonia L Vincent
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Angus Kt Wann
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, NDORMS, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FY, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Jiang W, Liu H, Wan R, Wu Y, Shi Z, Huang W. Mechanisms linking mitochondrial mechanotransduction and chondrocyte biology in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 67:101315. [PMID: 33684550 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical loading is essential for chondrocyte health. Chondrocytes can sense and respond to various extracellular mechanical signals through an integrated set of mechanisms. Recently, it has been found that mitochondria, acting as critical mechanotransducers, are at the intersection between extracellular mechanical signals and chondrocyte biology. Much attention has been focused on identifying how mechanical loading-induced mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. In contrast, little is known regarding the mechanisms underlying functional alterations in mitochondria induced by mechanical stimulation. In this review, we describe how chondrocytes perceive environmental mechanical signals. We discuss how mechanical load induces mitochondrial functional alterations and highlight the major unanswered questions in this field. We speculate that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master regulator of energy homeostasis, may play an important role in coupling force transmission to mitochondrial health and intracellular biological responses.
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12
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Heparan Sulfate Deficiency in Cartilage: Enhanced BMP-Sensitivity, Proteoglycan Production and an Anti-Apoptotic Expression Signature after Loading. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073726. [PMID: 33918436 PMCID: PMC8038223 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) represents one major cause of disability worldwide still evading efficient pharmacological or cellular therapies. Severe degeneration of extracellular cartilage matrix precedes the loss of mobility and disabling pain perception in affected joints. Recent studies showed that a reduced heparan sulfate (HS) content protects cartilage from degradation in OA-animal models of joint destabilization but the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. We aimed to clarify whether low HS-content alters the mechano-response of chondrocytes and to uncover pathways relevant for HS-related chondro-protection in response to loading. Tissue-engineered cartilage with HS-deficiency was generated from rib chondrocytes of mice carrying a hypomorphic allele of Exostosin 1 (Ext1), one of the main HS-synthesizing enzymes, and wildtype (WT) littermate controls. Engineered cartilage matured for 2 weeks was exposed to cyclic unconfined compression in a bioreactor. The molecular loading response was determined by transcriptome profiling, bioinformatic data processing, and qPCR. HS-deficient chondrocytes expressed 3-6% of WT Ext1-mRNA levels. Both groups similarly raised Sox9, Col2a1 and Acan levels during maturation. However, HS-deficient chondrocytes synthesized and deposited 50% more GAG/DNA. TGFβ and FGF2-sensitivity of Ext1gt/gt chondrocytes was similar to WT cells but their response to BMP-stimulation was enhanced. Loading induced similar activation of mechano-sensitive ERK and P38-signaling in WT and HS-reduced chondrocytes. Transcriptome analysis reflected regulation of cell migration as major load-induced biological process with similar stimulation of common (Fosl1, Itgα5, Timp1, and Ngf) as well as novel mechano-regulated genes (Inhba and Dhrs9). Remarkably, only Ext1-hypomorphic cartilage responded to loading by an expression signature of negative regulation of apoptosis with pro-apoptotic Bnip3 being selectively down-regulated. HS-deficiency enhanced BMP-sensitivity, GAG-production and fostered an anti-apoptotic expression signature after loading, all of which may protect cartilage from load-induced erosion.
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Matsumura T, Fujimoto T, Futakuchi A, Takihara Y, Watanabe-Kitamura F, Takahashi E, Inoue-Mochita M, Tanihara H, Inoue T. TGF-β-induced activation of conjunctival fibroblasts is modulated by FGF-2 and substratum stiffness. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242626. [PMID: 33206726 PMCID: PMC7673499 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effects of substratum stiffness on the sensitivity of human conjunctival fibroblasts to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and to explore the molecular mechanism of action. Methods Human conjunctival fibroblasts were cultured on collagen-coated plastic or silicone plates. The stiffness of the silicone plates was 0.2 or 64 kPa. Cells were treated by 2.5 ng/mL TGF-β2 with or without fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 (0–100 ng/mL) for 24 h or 48 h. The protein expression levels were determined by Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation was assessed using the WST-8 assay. Results FGF-2 suppressed the TGF-β-induced expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and collagen type I (Col I), but not fibronectin (FN). Both FGF-2 and TGF-β2 increased cell proliferation without an additive effect. The induction of α-SMA by TGF-β2 was decreased on the soft substratum, without any change in the expression level or subcellular location of Yes-associated protein/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (YAP/TAZ). FGF-2 suppressed TGF-β-induced α-SMA expression even on the soft substratum. Conclusions FGF-2 treatment and a soft substratum suppressed TGF-β-induced transdifferentiation of conjunctival fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. FGF-2 attenuated the TGF-β-induced expression of α-SMA, even on a soft substratum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyo Matsumura
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Fujimoto
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Akiko Futakuchi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yuji Takihara
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | | | - Eri Takahashi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Miyuki Inoue-Mochita
- Department of Medical Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | | | - Toshihiro Inoue
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Zhu L, Donhou S, Burleigh A, Miotla Zarebska J, Curtinha M, Parisi I, Khan SN, Dell'Accio F, Chanalaris A, Vincent TL. TSG-6 Is Weakly Chondroprotective in Murine OA but Does not Account for FGF2-Mediated Joint Protection. ACR Open Rheumatol 2020; 2:605-615. [PMID: 33029956 PMCID: PMC7571392 DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Tumor necrosis factor α-stimulated gene 6 (TSG-6) is an anti-inflammatory protein highly expressed in osteoarthritis (OA), but its influence on the course of OA is unknown. METHODS Cartilage injury was assessed by murine hip avulsion or by recutting rested explants. Forty-two previously validated injury genes were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction in whole joints following destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) (6 hours and 7 days). Joint pathology was assessed at 8 and 12 weeks following DMM in 10-week-old male and female fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2)-/- , TSG-6-/- , TSG-6tg (overexpressing), FGF2-/- ;TSG-6tg (8 weeks only) mice, as well as strain-matched, wild-type controls. In vivo cartilage repair was assessed 8 weeks following focal cartilage injury in TSG-6tg and control mice. FGF2 release following cartilage injury was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS TSG-6 messenger RNA upregulation was strongly FGF2-dependent upon injury in vitro and in vivo. Fifteeen inflammatory genes were significantly increased in TSG-6-/- joints, including IL1α, Ccl2, and Adamts5 compared with wild type. Six genes were significantly suppressed in TSG-6-/- joints including Timp1, Inhibin βA, and podoplanin (known FGF2 target genes). FGF2 release upon cartilage injury was not influenced by levels of TSG-6. Cartilage degradation was significantly increased at 12 weeks post-DMM in male TSG-6-/- mice, with a nonsignificant 30% reduction in disease seen in TSG-6tg mice. No differences were observed in cartilage repair between genotypes. TSG-6 overexpression was unable to prevent accelerated OA in FGF2-/- mice. CONCLUSION TSG-6 influences early gene regulation in the destabilized joint and exerts a modest late chondroprotective effect. Although strongly FGF2 dependent, TSG-6 does not explain the strong chondroprotective effect of FGF2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyi Zhu
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Shannah Donhou
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Annika Burleigh
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Jadwiga Miotla Zarebska
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Marcia Curtinha
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Ida Parisi
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Sumayya Nafisa Khan
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | | | - Anastasios Chanalaris
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Tonia L Vincent
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, University of Oxford, UK
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Zhao Z, Li Y, Wang M, Zhao S, Zhao Z, Fang J. Mechanotransduction pathways in the regulation of cartilage chondrocyte homoeostasis. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:5408-5419. [PMID: 32237113 PMCID: PMC7214151 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanical stress plays a critical role in cartilage development and homoeostasis. Chondrocytes are surrounded by a narrow pericellular matrix (PCM), which absorbs dynamic and static forces and transmits them to the chondrocyte surface. Recent studies have demonstrated that molecular components, including perlecan, collagen and hyaluronan, provide distinct physical properties for the PCM and maintain the essential microenvironment of chondrocytes. These physical signals are sensed by receptors and molecules located in the cell membrane, such as Ca2+ channels, the primary cilium and integrins, and a series of downstream molecular pathways are involved in mechanotransduction in cartilage. All mechanoreceptors convert outside signals into chemical and biological signals, which then regulate transcription in chondrocytes in response to mechanical stresses. This review highlights recent progress and focuses on the function of the PCM and cell surface molecules in chondrocyte mechanotransduction. Emerging understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate mechanotransduction will provide new insights into osteoarthritis pathogenesis and precision strategies that could be used in its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yifei Li
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Diseases and Birth Defects, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengjiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sen Zhao
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Zhihe Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Synthesis Is Dysregulated in Human Osteoarthritic Cartilage. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2019; 189:632-647. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2018.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Elevated hypertrophy, growth plate maturation, glycosaminoglycan deposition, and exostosis formation in the Hspg2 exon 3 null mouse intervertebral disc. Biochem J 2019; 476:225-243. [PMID: 30563944 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Heparan sulfate (HS) regulates diverse cell signalling events in intervertebral disc development and homeostasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ablation of perlecan HS/CS on murine intervertebral disc development. Genetic models carrying mutations in genes encoding HS biosynthetic enzymes have identified multiple roles for HS in tissue homeostasis. In the present study, we utilised an Hspg2 exon 3 null HS/CS-deficient mouse to assess the role of perlecan HS in disc cell regulation. HS makes many important contributions to growth factor sequestration, stabilisation/delivery, and activation of receptors directing cellular proliferation, differentiation, and assembly of extracellular matrix. Perlecan HS/CS-mediated interactions promote extracellular matrix assembly/stabilisation and tissue functional properties, and thus, removal of perlecan HS/CS should affect extracellular matrix function and homeostasis. Hspg2 exon 3 null intervertebral discs accumulated significantly greater glycosaminoglycan in the nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and vertebral growth plates than C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) I intervertebral discs. Proliferation of intervertebral disc progenitor cells was significantly higher in Hspg2 exon 3 null intervertebral discs, and these cells became hypertrophic by 12 weeks of age and were prominent in the vertebral growth plates but had a disorganised organisation. C57BL/6 WT vertebral growth plates contained regular columnar growth plate chondrocytes. Exostosis-like, ectopic bone formation occurred in Hspg2 exon 3 null intervertebral discs, and differences were evident in disc cell maturation and in matrix deposition in this genotype, indicating that perlecan HS/CS chains had cell and matrix interactive properties which repressively maintained tissue homeostasis in the adult intervertebral disc.
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Vincent TL, Wann AKT. Mechanoadaptation: articular cartilage through thick and thin. J Physiol 2018; 597:1271-1281. [PMID: 29917242 DOI: 10.1113/jp275451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The articular cartilage is exquisitely sensitive to mechanical load. Its structure is largely defined by the mechanical environment and destruction in osteoarthritis is the pathophysiological consequence of abnormal mechanics. It is often overlooked that disuse of joints causes profound loss of volume in the articular cartilage, a clinical observation first described in polio patients and stroke victims. Through the 1980s, the results of studies exploiting experimental joint immobilisation supported this. Importantly, this substantial body of work was also the first to describe metabolic changes that resulted in decreased synthesis of matrix molecules, especially sulfated proteoglycans. The molecular mechanisms that underlie disuse atrophy are poorly understood despite the identification of multiple mechanosensing mechanisms in cartilage. Moreover, there has been a tendency to equate cartilage loss with osteoarthritic degeneration. Here, we review the historic literature and clarify the structural, metabolic and clinical features that clearly distinguish cartilage loss due to disuse atrophy and those due to osteoarthritis. We speculate on the molecular sensing pathways in cartilage that may be responsible for cartilage mechanoadaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonia L Vincent
- Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Angus K T Wann
- Arthritis Research UK Centre for OA Pathogenesis, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Tang X, Muhammad H, McLean C, Miotla-Zarebska J, Fleming J, Didangelos A, Önnerfjord P, Leask A, Saklatvala J, Vincent TL. Connective tissue growth factor contributes to joint homeostasis and osteoarthritis severity by controlling the matrix sequestration and activation of latent TGFβ. Ann Rheum Dis 2018; 77:1372-1380. [PMID: 29925506 PMCID: PMC6104679 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-212964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES One mechanism by which cartilage responds to mechanical load is by releasing heparin-bound growth factors from the pericellular matrix (PCM). By proteomic analysis of the PCM, we identified connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and here investigate its function and mechanism of action. METHODS Recombinant CTGF (rCTGF) was used to stimulate human chondrocytes for microarray analysis. Endogenous CTGF was investigated by in vitro binding assays and confocal microscopy. Its release from cut cartilage (injury CM) was analysed by Western blot under reducing and non-reducing conditions. A postnatal, conditional CtgfcKO mouse was generated for cartilage injury experiments and to explore the course of osteoarthritis (OA) by destabilisation of the medial meniscus. siRNA knockdown was performed on isolated human chondrocytes. RESULTS The biological responses of rCTGF were TGFβ dependent. CTGF displaced latent TGFβ from cartilage and both were released on cartilage injury. CTGF and latent TGFβ migrated as a single high molecular weight band under non-reducing conditions, suggesting that they were in a covalent (disulfide) complex. This was confirmed by immunoprecipitation. Using CtgfcKO mice, CTGF was required for sequestration of latent TGFβ in the matrix and activation of the latent complex at the cell surface through TGFβR3. In vivo deletion of CTGF increased the thickness of the articular cartilage and protected mice from OA. CONCLUSIONS CTGF is a latent TGFβ binding protein that controls the matrix sequestration and activation of TGFβ in cartilage. Deletion of CTGF in vivo caused a paradoxical increase in Smad2 phosphorylation resulting in thicker cartilage that was protected from OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodi Tang
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hayat Muhammad
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Celia McLean
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Jacob Fleming
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Andrew Leask
- Department of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Tonia L Vincent
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Guilak F, Nims RJ, Dicks A, Wu CL, Meulenbelt I. Osteoarthritis as a disease of the cartilage pericellular matrix. Matrix Biol 2018; 71-72:40-50. [PMID: 29800616 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 262] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a painful joint disease characterized by progressive degeneration of the articular cartilage as well as associated changes to the subchondral bone, synovium, and surrounding joint tissues. While the effects of osteoarthritis on the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) have been well recognized, it is now becoming apparent that in many cases, the onset of the disease may be initially reflected in the matrix region immediately surrounding the chondrocytes, termed the pericellular matrix (PCM). Growing evidence suggests that the PCM - which along with the enclosed chondrocytes are termed the "chondron" - acts as a critical transducer or "filter" of biochemical and biomechanical signals for the chondrocyte, serving to help regulate the homeostatic balance of chondrocyte metabolic activity in response to environmental signals. Indeed, it appears that alterations in PCM properties and cell-matrix interactions, secondary to genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, or biomechanical stimuli, could in fact serve as initiating or progressive factors for osteoarthritis. Here, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of the role of the PCM, with an emphasis on the reciprocity of changes that occur in this matrix region with disease, as well as how alterations in PCM properties could serve as a driver of ECM-based diseases such as osteoarthritis. Further study of the structure, function, and composition of the PCM in normal and diseased conditions may provide new insights into the understanding of the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, and presumably new therapeutic approaches for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farshid Guilak
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States; Shriners Hospitals for Children - St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States.
| | - Robert J Nims
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States; Shriners Hospitals for Children - St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Amanda Dicks
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States; Shriners Hospitals for Children - St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Chia-Lung Wu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States; Shriners Hospitals for Children - St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Ingrid Meulenbelt
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Goepfert C, Lutz V, Lünse S, Kittel S, Wiegandt K, Kammal M, Püschel K, Pörtner R. Evaluation of Cartilage Specific Matrix Synthesis of Human Articular Chondrocytes after Extended Propagation on Microcarriers by Image Analysis. Int J Artif Organs 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/039139881003300405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Cell-based technologies for the repair of cartilage defects usually rely on the expansion of low numbers of chondrocytes isolated from biopsies of healthy cartilage. Proliferating chondrocytes are known to undergo dedifferentiation characterized by downregulation of collagen type II and proteoglycan production, and by upregulation of collagen type I synthesis. Re-expression of cartilage specific matrix components by expanded chondrocytes is therefore critical for successful cartilage repair. Methods Human articular chondrocytes were expanded on microcarriers Cytodex 3. The growth area was increased by adding empty microcarriers. Added microcarriers were colonized by bead-to-bead transfer of the cells. The chondrocytes were harvested from the microcarriers and characterized by their ability to synthesize collagen type II when cultivated in alginate beads using chondrogenic growth factors. A semi-automatic image analysis technique was developed to determine the fractions of collagen type II and type I positive cells. Results The expansion of human articular chondrocytes on microcarriers yielded high cell numbers and propagation rates compared to chondrocytes expanded in flask culture for one passage. The proportion of collagen type II positive cells compared to collagen type I synthesizing cells was increased compared to chondrocytes expanded using conventional methods. The matrix synthesis upon treatment with chondrogenic factors IGF-I and BMP-7 was enhanced whereas TGF-β had an inhibitory effect on microcarrier expanded chondrocytes. Conclusions Expanding human articular chondrocytes on microcarriers omitting subcultivation steps leads to superior ratios of collagen type II to type I forming cells compared to the expansion in conventional monolayer culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Goepfert
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg - Germany
| | - Vivien Lutz
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg - Germany
| | - Svenja Lünse
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg - Germany
| | - Sabrina Kittel
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg - Germany
| | - Katharina Wiegandt
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg - Germany
| | - Michael Kammal
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Legal Medicine, Hamburg - Germany
| | - Klaus Püschel
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Legal Medicine, Hamburg - Germany
| | - Ralf Pörtner
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg - Germany
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Khoshgoftar M, Torzilli PA, Maher SA. Influence of the pericellular and extracellular matrix structural properties on chondrocyte mechanics. J Orthop Res 2018; 36:721-729. [PMID: 29044742 PMCID: PMC5839971 DOI: 10.1002/jor.23774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanical factors that drive the biological responses of chondrocytes is central to our interpretation of the cascade of events that lead to osteoarthritic changes in articular cartilage. Chondrocyte mechanics is complicated by changes in tissue properties that can occur as osteoarthritis (OA) progresses and by the interaction between macro-scale, tissue level, properties, and micro-scale pericellular matrix (PCM) and local extracellular matrix (ECM) properties, both of which cannot be easily studied using in vitro systems. Our objective was to study the influence of macro- and micro-scale OA-associated structural changes on chondrocyte strains. We developed a multi-scale finite element model of articular cartilage subjected to unconfined loading, for the following three conditions: (i) normal articular cartilage, (ii) OA cartilage (where macro and micro-scale changes in collagen content, matrix modulus, and permeability were modeled), and (iii) early-stage OA cartilage (where only micro-scale changes in matrix modulus were modeled). In the macro-scale model, we found that a depth-dependent strain field was induced in both healthy and OA cartilage and that the middle and superficial zones of OA cartilage had increased tensile and compressive strains. At the micro-scale, chondrocyte shear strains were sensitive to PCM and local ECM properties. In the early-OA model, micro-scale spatial softening of PCM and ECM resulted in a substantial increase (30%) of chondrocyte shear strain, even with no structural changes in macro-scale tissue properties. Our study provides evidence that micromechanical changes at the cellular level may affect chondrocyte activities before macro-scale degradations at the tissue level become apparent. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:721-729, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Khoshgoftar
- Orthopaedic Soft Tissue Research Program,Department of Biomechanics, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70 Street, New York, NY 10021, United States
| | - Peter A. Torzilli
- Orthopaedic Soft Tissue Research Program, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70 Street, New York, NY 10021, United States, Tel: +1 (212) 606-1087
| | - Suzanne A. Maher
- Orthopaedic Soft Tissue Research Program,Department of Biomechanics, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70 Street, New York, NY 10021, United States, Tel: +1 (212) 606-1083
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Anderson DE, Johnstone B. Dynamic Mechanical Compression of Chondrocytes for Tissue Engineering: A Critical Review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2017; 5:76. [PMID: 29322043 PMCID: PMC5732133 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2017.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Articular cartilage functions to transmit and translate loads. In a classical structure-function relationship, the tissue resides in a dynamic mechanical environment that drives the formation of a highly organized tissue architecture suited to its biomechanical role. The dynamic mechanical environment includes multiaxial compressive and shear strains as well as hydrostatic and osmotic pressures. As the mechanical environment is known to modulate cell fate and influence tissue development toward a defined architecture in situ, dynamic mechanical loading has been hypothesized to induce the structure-function relationship during attempts at in vitro regeneration of articular cartilage. Researchers have designed increasingly sophisticated bioreactors with dynamic mechanical regimes, but the response of chondrocytes to dynamic compression and shear loading remains poorly characterized due to wide variation in study design, system variables, and outcome measurements. We assessed the literature pertaining to the use of dynamic compressive bioreactors for in vitro generation of cartilaginous tissue from primary and expanded chondrocytes. We used specific search terms to identify relevant publications from the PubMed database and manually sorted the data. It was very challenging to find consensus between studies because of species, age, cell source, and culture differences, coupled with the many loading regimes and the types of analyses used. Early studies that evaluated the response of primary bovine chondrocytes within hydrogels, and that employed dynamic single-axis compression with physiologic loading parameters, reported consistently favorable responses at the tissue level, with upregulation of biochemical synthesis and biomechanical properties. However, they rarely assessed the cellular response with gene expression or mechanotransduction pathway analyses. Later studies that employed increasingly sophisticated biomaterial-based systems, cells derived from different species, and complex loading regimes, did not necessarily corroborate prior positive results. These studies report positive results with respect to very specific conditions for cellular responses to dynamic load but fail to consistently achieve significant positive changes in relevant tissue engineering parameters, particularly collagen content and stiffness. There is a need for standardized methods and analyses of dynamic mechanical loading systems to guide the field of tissue engineering toward building cartilaginous implants that meet the goal of regenerating articular cartilage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devon E Anderson
- Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Brian Johnstone
- Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Chartier SR, Mitchell SA, Majuta LA, Mantyh PW. Immunohistochemical localization of nerve growth factor, tropomyosin receptor kinase A, and p75 in the bone and articular cartilage of the mouse femur. Mol Pain 2017; 13:1744806917745465. [PMID: 29166838 PMCID: PMC5724636 DOI: 10.1177/1744806917745465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequestration of nerve growth factor (NGF) significantly attenuates skeletal pain in both animals and humans. However, relatively little is known about the specific cell types that express NGF or its cognate receptors tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) and p75 in the intact bone and articular cartilage. In the present study, antibodies raised against NGF, TrkA, and p75 (also known as CD271) were used to explore the expression of these antigens in the non-decalcified young mouse femur. In general, all three antigens displayed a remarkably restricted expression in bone and cartilage with less than 2% of all DAPI+ cells in the femur displaying expression of any one of the three antigens. Robust NGF immunoreactivity was found in mostly CD-31− blood vessel-associated cells, a small subset of CD-31+ endothelial cells, an unidentified group of cells located at the subchondral bone/articular cartilage interface, and a few isolated, single cells in the bone marrow. In contrast, p75 and TrkA were almost exclusively expressed by nerve fibers located nearby NGF+ blood vessels. The only non-neuronal expression of either p75 or TrkA in the femur was the expression of p75 by a subset of cells located in the deep and middle zone of the articular cartilage. Understanding the factors that tightly regulate the basal level of expression in normal bone and how the expression of NGF, TrkA, and p75 change in injury, disease, and aging may provide insights into novel therapies that can reduce skeletal pain and improve skeletal health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lisa A Majuta
- 1 Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Patrick W Mantyh
- 1 Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.,2 Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Ismail HM, Didangelos A, Vincent TL, Saklatvala J. Rapid Activation of Transforming Growth Factor β-Activated Kinase 1 in Chondrocytes by Phosphorylation and K 63 -Linked Polyubiquitination Upon Injury to Animal Articular Cartilage. Arthritis Rheumatol 2017; 69:565-575. [PMID: 27768832 PMCID: PMC5347887 DOI: 10.1002/art.39965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective Mechanical injury to cartilage predisposes to osteoarthritis (OA). Wounding of the articular cartilage surface causes rapid activation of MAP kinases and NF‐κB, mimicking the response to inflammatory cytokines. This study was undertaken to identify the upstream signaling mechanisms involved. Methods Cartilage was injured by dissecting it from the articular surface of porcine metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints or by avulsing murine proximal femoral epiphyses. Protein phosphorylation was assayed by Western blotting of cartilage lysates. Immunolocalization of phosphorylated activating transcription factor 2 (ATF‐2) and NF‐κB/p65 was detected by confocal microscopy. Messenger RNA (mRNA) was measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Receptor associated protein 80 (RAP‐80) ubiquitin interacting motif agarose was used in a pull‐down assay to obtain K63‐polyubiquitinated proteins. Ubiquitin linkages on immunoprecipitated transforming growth factor β–activated kinase 1 (TAK‐1) were analyzed with deubiquitinases. Results Sharp injury to porcine cartilage caused rapid activation of JNK and NF‐κB pathways and the upstream kinases MKK‐4, IKK, and TAK‐1. Pharmacologic inhibition of TAK‐1 in porcine cartilage abolished JNK and NF‐κB activation and reduced the injury‐dependent inflammatory gene response. High molecular weight species of phosphorylated TAK‐1 were induced by injury, indicating its ubiquitination. An overall increase in K63‐linked polyubiquitination was detected upon injury, and TAK‐1 was specifically linked to K63‐ but not K48‐polyubiquitin chains. In mice, avulsion of wild‐type femoral epiphyses caused similar intracellular signaling that was reduced in cartilage‐specific TAK‐1–null mice. Epiphyseal cartilage of MyD88‐null and TRAF‐6–null mice responded to injury, suggesting the involvement of a ubiquitin E3 ligase other than TRAF‐6. Conclusion Activation of TAK‐1 by phosphorylation and K63‐linked polyubiquitination by injury indicates its role in driving cell activation. Further studies are needed to identify the upstream ubiquitination mechanisms, including the E3 ligase involved.
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Driscoll C, Chanalaris A, Knights C, Ismail H, Sacitharan PK, Gentry C, Bevan S, Vincent TL. Nociceptive Sensitizers Are Regulated in Damaged Joint Tissues, Including Articular Cartilage, When Osteoarthritic Mice Display Pain Behavior. Arthritis Rheumatol 2016; 68:857-67. [PMID: 26605536 PMCID: PMC4979655 DOI: 10.1002/art.39523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Objective Pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis (OA), yet where it originates in the joint and how it is driven are unknown. The aim of this study was to identify pain‐sensitizing molecules that are regulated in the joint when mice subjected to surgical joint destabilization develop OA‐related pain behavior, the tissues in which these molecules are being regulated, and the factors that control their regulation. Methods Ten‐week‐old mice underwent sham surgery, partial meniscectomy, or surgical destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM). Pain‐related behavior as determined by a variety of methods (testing of responses to von Frey filaments, cold plate testing for cold sensitivity, analgesiometry, incapacitance testing, and forced flexion testing) was assessed weekly. Once pain‐related behavior was established, RNA was extracted from either whole joints or microdissected tissue samples (articular cartilage, meniscus, and bone). Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to analyze the expression of 54 genes known to regulate pain sensitization. Cartilage injury assays were performed using avulsed immature hips from wild‐type or genetically modified mice or by explanting articular cartilage from porcine joints preinjected with pharmacologic inhibitors. Levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) protein were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results Mice developed pain‐related behavior 8 weeks after undergoing partial meniscectomy or 12 weeks after undergoing DMM. NGF, bradykinin receptors B1 and B2, tachykinin, and tachykinin receptor 1 were significantly regulated in the joints of mice displaying pain‐related behavior. Little regulation of inflammatory cytokines, leukocyte activation markers, or chemokines was observed. When tissue samples from articular cartilage, meniscus, and bone were analyzed separately, NGF was consistently regulated in the articular cartilage. The other pain sensitizers were also largely regulated in the articular cartilage, although there were some differences between the 2 models. NGF and tachykinin were strongly regulated by simple mechanical injury of cartilage in vitro in a transforming growth factor β–activated kinase 1–, fibroblast growth factor 2–, and Src kinase–dependent manner. Conclusion Damaged joint tissues produce proalgesic molecules, including NGF, in murine OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Driscoll
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Heba Ismail
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | | | - Tonia L Vincent
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Exercise-driven metabolic pathways in healthy cartilage. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2016; 24:1210-22. [PMID: 26924420 PMCID: PMC4907806 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2016.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Exercise is vital for maintaining cartilage integrity in healthy joints. Here we examined the exercise-driven transcriptional regulation of genes in healthy rat articular cartilage to dissect the metabolic pathways responsible for the potential benefits of exercise. METHODS Transcriptome-wide gene expression in the articular cartilage of healthy Sprague-Dawley female rats exercised daily (low intensity treadmill walking) for 2, 5, or 15 days was compared to that of non-exercised rats, using Affymetrix GeneChip arrays. Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was used for Gene Ontology (GO)-term enrichment and Functional Annotation analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway mapper was used to identify the metabolic pathways regulated by exercise. RESULTS Microarray analysis revealed that exercise-induced 644 DEGs in healthy articular cartilage. The DAVID bioinformatics tool demonstrated high prevalence of functional annotation clusters with greater enrichment scores and GO-terms associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) biosynthesis/remodeling and inflammation/immune response. The KEGG database revealed that exercise regulates 147 metabolic pathways representing molecular interaction networks for Metabolism, Genetic Information Processing, Environmental Information Processing, Cellular Processes, Organismal Systems, and Diseases. These pathways collectively supported the complex regulation of the beneficial effects of exercise on the cartilage. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the findings highlight that exercise is a robust transcriptional regulator of a wide array of metabolic pathways in healthy cartilage. The major actions of exercise involve ECM biosynthesis/cartilage strengthening and attenuation of inflammatory pathways to provide prophylaxis against onset of arthritic diseases in healthy cartilage.
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Human genome-wide expression analysis reorients the study of inflammatory mediators and biomechanics in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2015; 23:1939-45. [PMID: 26521740 PMCID: PMC4630670 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2015.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Revised: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
A major objective of this article is to examine the research implications of recently available genome-wide expression profiles of cartilage from human osteoarthritis (OA) joints. We propose that, when viewed in the light of extensive earlier work, this novel data provides a unique opportunity to reorient the design of experimental systems toward clinical relevance. Specifically, in the area of cartilage explant biology, this will require a fresh evaluation of existing paradigms, so as to optimize the choices of tissue source, cytokine/growth factor/nutrient addition, and biomechanical environment for discovery. Within this context, we firstly discuss the literature on the nature and role of potential catabolic mediators in OA pathology, including data from human OA cartilage, animal models of OA, and ex vivo studies. Secondly, due to the number and breadth of studies on IL-1β in this area, a major focus of the article is a critical analysis of the design and interpretation of cartilage studies where IL-1β has been used as a model cytokine. Thirdly, the article provides a data-driven perspective (including genome-wide analysis of clinical samples, studies on mutant mice, and clinical trials), which concludes that IL-1β should be replaced by soluble mediators such as IL-17 or TGF-β1, which are much more likely to mimic the disease in OA model systems. We also discuss the evidence that changes in early OA can be attributed to the activity of such soluble mediators, whereas late-stage disease results more from a chronic biomechanical effect on the matrix and cells of the remaining cartilage and on other local mediator-secreting cells. Lastly, an updated protocol for in vitro studies with cartilage explants and chondrocytes (including the use of specific gene expression arrays) is provided to motivate more disease-relevant studies on the interplay of cytokines, growth factors, and biomechanics on cellular behavior.
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Abstract
Articular cartilage injuries and degenerative joint diseases are responsible for progressive pain and disability in millions of people worldwide, yet there is currently no treatment available to restore full joint functionality. As the tissue functions under mechanical load, an understanding of the physiologic or pathologic effects of biomechanical factors on cartilage physiology is of particular interest. Here, we highlight studies that have measured cartilage deformation at scales ranging from the macroscale to the microscale, as well as the responses of the resident cartilage cells, chondrocytes, to mechanical loading using in vitro and in vivo approaches. From these studies, it is clear that there exists a complex interplay among mechanical, inflammatory, and biochemical factors that can either support or inhibit cartilage matrix homeostasis under normal or pathologic conditions. Understanding these interactions is an important step toward developing tissue engineering approaches and therapeutic interventions for cartilage pathologies, such as osteoarthritis.
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Hoshiyama Y, Otsuki S, Oda S, Kurokawa Y, Nakajima M, Jotoku T, Tamura R, Okamoto Y, Lotz MK, Neo M. Chondrocyte clusters adjacent to sites of cartilage degeneration have characteristics of progenitor cells. J Orthop Res 2015; 33:548-55. [PMID: 25691232 PMCID: PMC4454425 DOI: 10.1002/jor.22782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the site-specific characteristics and roles of chondrocyte clusters in human knee osteoarthritis. Cartilage explants were obtained from 45 knees undergoing total knee replacement surgery. The explants were taken from 4 locations in the knee: the medial femoral condyle, the medial posterior femoral condyle (MPC), the lateral femoral condyle, and the lateral posterior femoral condyle (LPC). Cartilage degeneration, cell density, and cell arrangement were compared histologically. A live/dead cell viability assay and immunohistochemical analyses using antibodies against STRO-1, FGF2, and Ki-67 were performed. Cell proliferation and cartilaginous nodule production in MPC and LPC explants in monolayer culture were compared. Finally, MPC cartilage explants were cultured to observe histological changes. The cell density of the MPC explants was higher than that of the LPC because of clustering. MPC explants contained more live cells than the LPC did, and the expression of IHC markers in MPC explants was higher than that in LPC. Chondrocytes from MPC proliferated faster and produced more nodules in monolayer culture than those from the LPC and MPC explants were repaired during organ culture. In conclusion, chondrocyte clusters adjacent to severe cartilage degeneration have specific characteristics, with progenitor and proliferative potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiaki Hoshiyama
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Shuhei Otsuki
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Shuhei Oda
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Kurokawa
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Mikio Nakajima
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Jotoku
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Tamura
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rakusai Shimizu Hospital, 13-107 Oekutsukakecho Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto city, Kyoto 610-1106, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Okamoto
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Martin K. Lotz
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Masashi Neo
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki city, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
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Shioji S, Imai S, Ando K, Kumagai K, Matsusue Y. Extracellular and intracellular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in three-dimensionally embedded rat chondrocytes. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114327. [PMID: 25479057 PMCID: PMC4257595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Articular cartilage homeostasis involves modulation of chondrocyte matrix synthesis in response to mechanical stress (MS). We studied extracellular and intracellular mechanotransduction pathways mediating this response. Methods We first confirmed rapid up-regulation of the putative chondro-protective cytokine, interleukin (IL)-4, as an immediate response to MS. We then studied the role of IL-4 by investigating responses to exogenous IL-4 or a specific IL-4 inhibitor, combined with MS. Next we investigated the intracellular second messengers. Since chondrocyte phenotype alters according to the extracellular environment, we characterized the response to mechanotransduction in 3-dimensionally embedded chondrocytes. Results Expression of aggrecan and type II collagen was significantly up-regulated by exogenous IL-4 whereas MS-induced matrix synthesis was inhibited by an IL-4 blocker. Further, MS-induced matrix synthesis was completely blocked by a p38 MAPK inhibitor, while it was only partially blocked by inhibitors of other putative second messengers. Conclusion IL-4 mediates an extracellular pathway of mechanotransduction, perhaps via an autocrine/paracrine loop, while p38 mediates an intracellular pathway prevalent only in a 3-dimensional environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suguru Shioji
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Shinji Imai
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Kosei Ando
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Kousuke Kumagai
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Matsusue
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
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Shimomura K, Kanamoto T, Kita K, Akamine Y, Nakamura N, Mae T, Yoshikawa H, Nakata K. Cyclic compressive loading on 3D tissue of human synovial fibroblasts upregulates prostaglandin E2 via COX-2 production without IL-1β and TNF-α. Bone Joint Res 2014; 3:280-8. [PMID: 25237168 PMCID: PMC4178306 DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.39.2000287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Excessive mechanical stress on synovial joints causes osteoarthritis
(OA) and results in the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a
key molecule in arthritis, by synovial fibroblasts. However, the
relationship between arthritis-related molecules and mechanical
stress is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine
the synovial fibroblast response to cyclic mechanical stress using
an in vitro osteoarthritis model. Method Human synovial fibroblasts were cultured on collagen scaffolds
to produce three-dimensional constructs. A cyclic compressive loading
of 40 kPa at 0.5 Hz was applied to the constructs, with or without
the administration of a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitor
or dexamethasone, and then the concentrations of PGE2, interleukin-1β (IL-1β),
tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-6, IL-8 and COX-2 were measured. Results The concentrations of PGE2, IL-6 and IL-8 in the loaded samples
were significantly higher than those of unloaded samples; however,
the concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α were the same as the unloaded
samples. After the administration of a COX-2 selective inhibitor,
the increased concentration of PGE2 by cyclic compressive loading
was impeded, but the concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 remained high.
With dexamethasone, upregulation of PGE2, IL-6 and IL-8 was suppressed. Conclusion These results could be useful in revealing the molecular mechanism
of mechanical stress in vivo for a better understanding
of the pathology and therapy of OA. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:280–8.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Shimomura
- Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - T Kanamoto
- Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - K Kita
- Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Y Akamine
- Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - N Nakamura
- Osaka Health Science University, Department of Rehabilitation Science, 1-9-27 Tenma, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 530-0043, Japan
| | - T Mae
- Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - H Yoshikawa
- Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - K Nakata
- Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Health and Sport Sciences, 1-17 Machikaneyamacho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
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Wilusz RE, Sanchez-Adams J, Guilak F. The structure and function of the pericellular matrix of articular cartilage. Matrix Biol 2014; 39:25-32. [PMID: 25172825 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2014.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 213] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chondrocytes in articular cartilage are surrounded by a narrow pericellular matrix (PCM) that is both biochemically and biomechanically distinct from the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the tissue. While the PCM was first observed nearly a century ago, its role is still under investigation. In support of early hypotheses regarding its function, increasing evidence indicates that the PCM serves as a transducer of biochemical and biomechanical signals to the chondrocyte. Work over the past two decades has established that the PCM in adult tissue is defined biochemically by several molecular components, including type VI collagen and perlecan. On the other hand, the biomechanical properties of this structure have only recently been measured. Techniques such as micropipette aspiration, in situ imaging, computational modeling, and atomic force microscopy have determined that the PCM exhibits distinct mechanical properties as compared to the ECM, and that these properties are influenced by specific PCM components as well as disease state. Importantly, the unique relationships among the mechanical properties of the chondrocyte, PCM, and ECM in different zones of cartilage suggest that this region significantly influences the stress-strain environment of the chondrocyte. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the measurement of PCM mechanical properties and structure that further increase our understanding of PCM function. Taken together, these studies suggest that the PCM plays a critical role in controlling the mechanical environment and mechanobiology of cells in cartilage and other cartilaginous tissues, such as the meniscus or intervertebral disc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Wilusz
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Johannah Sanchez-Adams
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Farshid Guilak
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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Madej W, van Caam A, Blaney Davidson EN, van der Kraan PM, Buma P. Physiological and excessive mechanical compression of articular cartilage activates Smad2/3P signaling. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2014; 22:1018-25. [PMID: 24795273 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2014.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Revised: 04/18/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in articular cartilage can signal via two routes, the ALK5/Smad2/3P and the ALK1/Smad1/5/8P route, the first being protective and the latter favoring chondrocyte terminal differentiation. Since biomechanical factors are known to play an essential role in osteoarthritis (OA) initiation and progression, we investigated if excessive mechanical compression can alter TGF-β signaling in cartilage shifting it from ALK5/Smad2/3P to ALK1/Smad1/5/8P pathway, favoring terminal differentiation of chondrocytes. DESIGN Articular cartilage explants were harvested from bovine metacarpophalangeal joints. After equilibration, explants were subjected to unconfined dynamic mechanical compression (1 Hz) with 3 MPa (physiological) or 12 MPa (excessive) stress. After different time intervals samples were frozen and mRNA levels of selected genes were examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS In articular cartilage compressed with 3 MPa and also 12 MPa stress the expression of Smad2/3P responsive genes bSerpine1, bSmad7 and bAlk5 was up-regulated, whereas the expression of Smad1/5/8P responsive gene bId1 was down-regulated. Furthermore, the expression of bTgfb1 was significantly up-regulated in both compression groups. When ALK5/Smad2/3P pathway was blocked with a selective ALK4/5/7 inhibitor, the effect of excessive mechanical compression on bSmad7 and bAlk5 expression was prevented. CONCLUSIONS Here we show that excessive mechanical compression alone is not able to shift TGF-β signaling toward the ALK1/Smad1/5/8P pathway. In contrast, we show that mechanical compression not only with physiological but also with excessive stress can activate Smad2/3P signaling, which is known to be protective for articular cartilage and to block chondrocyte terminal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Madej
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - A van Caam
- Experimental Rheumatology & Advanced Therapeutics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - E N Blaney Davidson
- Experimental Rheumatology & Advanced Therapeutics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - P M van der Kraan
- Experimental Rheumatology & Advanced Therapeutics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - P Buma
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Drexler S, Wann A, Vincent TL. Are cellular mechanosensors potential therapeutic targets in osteoarthritis? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.2217/ijr.14.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Subramony SD, Su A, Yeager K, Lu HH. Combined effects of chemical priming and mechanical stimulation on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation on nanofiber scaffolds. J Biomech 2013; 47:2189-96. [PMID: 24267271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2013.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Functional tissue engineering of connective tissues such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remains a significant clinical challenge, largely due to the need for mechanically competent scaffold systems for grafting, as well as a reliable cell source for tissue formation. We have designed an aligned, polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) nanofiber-based scaffold with physiologically relevant mechanical properties for ligament regeneration. The objective of this study is to identify optimal tissue engineering strategies for fibroblastic induction of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC), testing the hypothesis that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) priming coupled with tensile loading will enhance hMSC-mediated ligament regeneration. It was observed that compared to the unloaded, as well as growth factor-primed but unloaded controls, bFGF stimulation followed by physiologically relevant tensile loading enhanced hMSC proliferation, collagen production and subsequent differentiation into ligament fibroblast-like cells, upregulating the expression of types I and III collagen, as well as tenasin-C and tenomodulin. The results of this study suggest that bFGF priming increases cell proliferation, while mechanical stimulation of the hMSCs on the aligned nanofiber scaffold promotes fibroblastic induction of these cells. In addition to demonstrating the potential of nanofiber scaffolds for hMSC-mediated functional ligament tissue engineering, this study yields new insights into the interactive effects of chemical and mechanical stimuli on stem cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddarth D Subramony
- Biomaterials and Interface Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Amanda Su
- Biomaterials and Interface Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Keith Yeager
- Biomaterials and Interface Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Helen H Lu
- Biomaterials and Interface Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace Building, MC 8904, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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Watt FE, Ismail HM, Didangelos A, Peirce M, Vincent TL, Wait R, Saklatvala J. Src and fibroblast growth factor 2 independently regulate signaling and gene expression induced by experimental injury to intact articular cartilage. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 65:397-407. [PMID: 23124605 DOI: 10.1002/art.37765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2012] [Accepted: 10/18/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether cartilage injury activates protein tyrosine kinases distinct from fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-related signaling, and whether they contribute to injury-induced gene responses. METHODS Phosphokinases and protein tyrosine phosphorylation were assayed by Western blotting of cartilage lysates. Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting with 4G10 antibody and immunoprecipitation kinase assay were carried out. Tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins on silver-stained gels of injured cartilage lysates were identified by mass spectrometry. Messenger RNA induction in cartilage explants was assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Protein tyrosine phosphorylation occurred within seconds of injury to the surface of intact articular cartilage, as did activation of MAPKs and IKK. Activation did not reoccur upon reinjury of cultured explants. The prominent tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins focal adhesion kinase, paxillin, and cortactin were identified as substrates of Src family kinases. The Src family kinase inhibitor PP2 blocked injury-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. It did not prevent activation of the MAPKs and IKK but differentially inhibited 8 of 10 inflammatory response genes that were induced by injury. In contrast, FGF signaling blockade with PD173074 reduced all MAPK and IKK activation by ∼50% and inhibited a different subset of genes but had no effect on Src-like signaling. CONCLUSION Injury to the surface of intact articular cartilage activates Src-like kinases as well as MAPKs and IKK (implying NF-κB activation). FGF-2 contributes to MAPK/IKK activation but not to Src-like signaling, suggesting that the latter is a parallel pathway that also regulates the injury-induced inflammatory gene response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona E Watt
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, 65 Aspenlea Road, London W6 8LH, UK.
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Yang X, Sarvestani SK, Moeinzadeh S, He X, Jabbari E. Three-dimensional-engineered matrix to study cancer stem cells and tumorsphere formation: effect of matrix modulus. Tissue Eng Part A 2012; 19:669-84. [PMID: 23013450 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2012.0333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is regulated by the tumor microenvironment. Synthetic hydrogels provide the flexibility to design three-dimensional (3D) matrices to isolate and study individual factors in the tumor microenvironment. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of matrix modulus on tumorsphere formation by breast cancer cells and maintenance of CSCs in an inert microenvironment without the interference of other factors. In that regard, 4T1 mouse breast cancer cells were encapsulated in inert polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogels and the effect of matrix modulus on tumorsphere formation and expression of CSC markers was investigated. The gel modulus had a strong effect on tumorsphere formation and the effect was bimodal. Tumorsphere formation and expression of CSC markers peaked after 8 days of culture. At day 8, as the matrix modulus was increased from 2.5 kPa to 5.3, 26.1, and 47.1 kPa, the average tumorsphere size changed from 37±6 μm to 57±6, 20±4, and 12±2 μm, respectively; cell number density in the gel changed from 0.8±0.1×10⁵ cells/mL to 1.7±0.2×10⁵, 0.4±0.1×10⁵, and 0.2±0.1×10⁵ cells/mL after initial encapsulation of 0.14×10⁵ cells/mL; and the expression of CD44 breast CSC marker changed from 17±4-fold to 38±9-, 3±1-, and 2±1-fold increase compared with the initial level. Similar results were obtained with MCF7 human breast carcinoma cells. Mouse 4T1 and human MCF7 cells encapsulated in the gel with 5.3 kPa modulus formed the largest tumorspheres and highest density of tumorspheres, and had highest expression of breast CSC markers CD44 and ABCG2. The inert polyethylene glycol hydrogel can be used as a model-engineered 3D matrix to study the role of individual factors in the tumor microenvironment on tumorigenesis and maintenance of CSCs without the interference of other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Yang
- Biomimetic Materials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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Baker N, Sharpe P, Culley K, Otero M, Bevan D, Newham P, Barker W, Clements KM, Langham CJ, Goldring MB, Gavrilović J. Dual regulation of metalloproteinase expression in chondrocytes by Wnt-1-inducible signaling pathway protein 3/CCN6. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 64:2289-99. [PMID: 22294415 DOI: 10.1002/art.34411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Wnt-1-inducible signaling pathway protein 3 (WISP-3)/CCN6 is mutated in progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia and may have effects on cartilage homeostasis. The aim of this study was to ascertain additional roles for WISP-3/CCN6 by determining its expression in osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage and by investigating its effects on cartilage-relevant metalloproteinase expression in immortalized (C-28/I2) and primary chondrocytes. METHODS Cartilage steady-state levels of WISP-3/CCN6 messenger RNA and protein production were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. WISP-3/CCN6 was overexpressed in C-28/I2 cells, and the resultant clones were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. The stable clones were analyzed by RT-PCR for metalloproteinase expression, and the signaling pathways involved were investigated using pharmacologic inhibition. The effects of WISP-3/CCN6 on metalloproteinase expression in primary chondrocytes were investigated using a small interfering RNA approach. RESULTS WISP-3/CCN6 was highly expressed in OA cartilage compared with undamaged cartilage, at both the RNA and protein levels. WISP-3/CCN6 overexpression in C-28/I2 cells resulted in unexpected dual regulation of metalloproteinases; expression of the potent aggrecanase ADAMTS-5 was down-regulated 9-fold, while expression of MMP-10 was up-regulated 14-fold, and these responses were accentuated in the WISP-3/CCN6 clones grown in suspension. MMP-10 up-regulation was dependent on several MAPKs, but WISP-3/CCN6-mediated ADAMTS-5 repression was independent of these pathways and was partially relieved by activation of β-catenin signaling. WISP-3/CCN6 also suppressed ADAMTS-5 expression in C-28/I2 cells treated with cytokines. In cytokine-treated primary chondrocytes, gene silencing of WISP-3/CCN6 resulted in enhanced ADAMTS-5 expression, while MMP-10 expression was suppressed. CONCLUSION WISP-3/CCN6 was highly expressed in end-stage OA cartilage, suggesting a role for this growth factor in cartilage homeostasis. WISP-3/CCN6-induced repression of ADAMTS-5 expression and regulation of MMP-10 expression suggest complex and context-dependent roles for WISP-3/CCN6 in cartilage biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Baker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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Burleigh A, Chanalaris A, Gardiner MD, Driscoll C, Boruc O, Saklatvala J, Vincent TL. Joint immobilization prevents murine osteoarthritis and reveals the highly mechanosensitive nature of protease expression in vivo. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 64:2278-88. [DOI: 10.1002/art.34420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Wilusz RE, Defrate LE, Guilak F. A biomechanical role for perlecan in the pericellular matrix of articular cartilage. Matrix Biol 2012; 31:320-7. [PMID: 22659389 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2012.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Revised: 05/24/2012] [Accepted: 05/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Chondrocytes are surrounded by a narrow pericellular matrix (PCM) that is biochemically, structurally, and biomechanically distinct from the bulk extracellular matrix (ECM) of articular cartilage. While the PCM is often defined by the presence of type VI collagen, other macromolecules such as perlecan, a heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan, are also exclusively localized to the PCM in normal cartilage and likely contribute to PCM structural integrity and biomechanical properties. Though perlecan is essential for normal cartilage development, its exact role in the PCM is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the biomechanical role of perlecan in the articular cartilage PCM in situ and its potential as a defining factor of the PCM. To this end, atomic force microscopy (AFM) stiffness mapping was combined with dual immunofluorescence labeling of cryosectioned porcine cartilage samples for type VI collagen and perlecan. While there was no difference in overall PCM mechanical properties between type VI collagen- and perlecan-based definitions of the PCM, within the PCM, interior regions containing both type VI collagen and perlecan exhibited lower elastic moduli than more peripheral regions rich in type VI collagen alone. Enzymatic removal of HS chains from perlecan with heparinase III increased PCM elastic moduli both overall and locally in interior regions rich in both perlecan and type VI collagen. Heparinase III digestion had no effect on ECM elastic moduli. Our findings provide new evidence for perlecan as a defining factor in both the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the PCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Wilusz
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, United States
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Ge Z, Li C, Heng BC, Cao G, Yang Z. Functional biomaterials for cartilage regeneration. J Biomed Mater Res A 2012; 100:2526-36. [PMID: 22492677 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.34147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2011] [Revised: 01/30/2012] [Accepted: 02/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The injury and degeneration of articular cartilage and associated arthritis are leading causes of disability worldwide. Cartilage tissue engineering as a treatment modality for cartilage defects has been investigated for over 20 years. Various scaffold materials have been developed for this purpose, but has yet to achieve feasibility and effectiveness for widespread clinical use. Currently, the regeneration of articular cartilage remains a formidable challenge, due to the complex physiology of cartilage tissue and its poor healing capacity. Although intensive research has been focused on the developmental biology and regeneration of cartilage tissue and a diverse plethora of biomaterials have been developed for this purpose, cartilage regeneration is still suboptimal, such as lacking a layered structure, mechanical mismatch with native cartilage and inadequate integration between native tissue and implanted scaffold. The ideal scaffold material should have versatile properties that actively contribute to cartilage regeneration. Functional scaffold materials may overcome the various challenges faced in cartilage tissue engineering by providing essential biological, mechanical, and physical/chemical signaling cues through innovative design. This review thus focuses on the complex structure of native articular cartilage, the critical properties of scaffolds required for cartilage regeneration, present strategies for scaffold design, and future directions for cartilage regeneration with functional scaffold materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zigang Ge
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.
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Ren K, Ma Y, Huang Y, Liang W, Liu F, Wang Q, Cui W, Liu Z, Yin G, Fan W. Periodic mechanical stress activates MEK1/2-ERK1/2 mitogenic signals in rat chondrocytes through Src and PLCγ1. Braz J Med Biol Res 2011; 44:1231-42. [DOI: 10.1590/s0100-879x2011007500150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2011] [Accepted: 10/25/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yimin Ma
- Nanjing Medical University, China
| | | | | | - Feng Liu
- Nanjing Medical University, China
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Miller RE, Grodzinsky AJ, Cummings K, Plaas AHK, Cole AA, Lee RT, Patwari P. Intraarticular injection of heparin-binding insulin-like growth factor 1 sustains delivery of insulin-like growth factor 1 to cartilage through binding to chondroitin sulfate. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 62:3686-94. [PMID: 20722014 DOI: 10.1002/art.27709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) stimulates cartilage repair but is not a practical therapy due to its short half-life. We have previously modified IGF-1 by adding a heparin-binding domain and have shown that this fusion protein (HB-IGF-1) stimulates sustained proteoglycan synthesis in cartilage. This study was undertaken to examine the mechanism by which HB-IGF-1 is retained in cartilage and to test whether HB-IGF-1 provides sustained growth factor delivery to cartilage in vivo and to human cartilage explants. METHODS Retention of HB-IGF-1 and IGF-1 was analyzed by Western blotting. The necessity of heparan sulfate (HS) or chondroitin sulfate (CS) glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) for binding was tested using enzymatic removal and cells with genetic deficiency of HS. Binding affinities of HB-IGF-1 and IGF-1 proteins for isolated GAGs were examined by surface plasmon resonance and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS In cartilage explants, chondroitinase treatment decreased binding of HB-IGF-1, whereas heparitinase had no effect. Furthermore, HS was not necessary for HB-IGF-1 retention on cell monolayers. Binding assays showed that HB-IGF-1 bound both CS and HS, whereas IGF-1 did not bind either. After intraarticular injection in rat knees, HB-IGF-1 was retained in articular and meniscal cartilage, but not in tendon, consistent with enhanced delivery to CS-rich cartilage. Finally, HB-IGF-1 was retained in human cartilage explants but IGF-1 was not. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that after intraarticular injection in rats, HB-IGF-1 is specifically retained in cartilage through its high abundance of CS. Modification of growth factors with heparin-binding domains may be a new strategy for sustained and specific local delivery to cartilage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Miller
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Wu M, Fannin J, Rice KM, Wang B, Blough ER. Effect of aging on cellular mechanotransduction. Ageing Res Rev 2011; 10:1-15. [PMID: 19932197 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2009.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2009] [Revised: 11/11/2009] [Accepted: 11/16/2009] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Aging is becoming a critical heath care issue and a burgeoning economic burden on society. Mechanotransduction is the ability of the cell to sense, process, and respond to mechanical stimuli and is an important regulator of physiologic function that has been found to play a role in regulating gene expression, protein synthesis, cell differentiation, tissue growth, and most recently, the pathophysiology of disease. Here we will review some of the recent findings of this field and attempt, where possible, to present changes in mechanotransduction that are associated with the aging process in several selected physiological systems, including musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neuronal, respiratory systems and skin.
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Saha AK, Kohles SS. Periodic Nanomechanical Stimulation in a Biokinetics Model Identifying Anabolic and Catabolic Pathways Associated With Cartilage Matrix Homeostasis. J Nanotechnol Eng Med 2010; 1:041001. [PMID: 21152382 PMCID: PMC2997753 DOI: 10.1115/1.4002461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Enhancing the available nanotechnology to describe physicochemical interactions during biokinetic regulation will strongly support cellular and molecular engineering efforts. In a recent mathematical model developed to extend the applicability of a statically loaded, single-cell biomechanical analysis, a biokinetic regulatory threshold was presented (Saha and Kohles, 2010, "A Distinct Catabolic to Anabolic Threshold Due to Single-Cell Static Nanomechanical Stimulation in a Cartilage Biokinetics Model," J. Nanotechnol. Eng. Med., 1(3), p. 031005). Results described multiscale mechanobiology in terms of catabolic to anabolic pathways. In the present study, we expand the mathematical model to continue exploring the nanoscale biomolecular response within a controlled microenvironment. Here, we introduce a dynamic mechanical stimulus for regulating cartilage molecule synthesis. Model iterations indicate the identification of a biomathematical mechanism balancing the harmony between catabolic and anabolic states. Relative load limits were defined to distinguish between "healthy" and "injurious" biomolecule accumulations. The presented mathematical framework provides a specific algorithm from which to explore biokinetic regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asit K. Saha
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Center for Allaying Health Disparities Through Research and Education (CADRE), Central State University, Wilberforce, OH 45384
| | - Sean S. Kohles
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Reparative Bioengineering Laboratory, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201; Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
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Nong L, Yin G, Ren K, Tang J, Fan W. Periodic mechanical stress enhances rat chondrocyte area expansion and migration through Src-PLCγ1-ERK1/2 signaling. Eur J Cell Biol 2010; 89:705-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2010.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2009] [Revised: 04/20/2010] [Accepted: 04/20/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Smith SM, Shu C, Melrose J. Comparative immunolocalisation of perlecan with collagen II and aggrecan in human foetal, newborn and adult ovine joint tissues demonstrates perlecan as an early developmental chondrogenic marker. Histochem Cell Biol 2010; 134:251-63. [PMID: 20690028 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-010-0730-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
We undertook a comparative immunolocalisation study on type II collagen, aggrecan and perlecan in a number of 12- to 14-week-old human foetal and postnatal (7-19 months) ovine joints including finger, toe, knee, elbow, hip and shoulder. This demonstrated that perlecan followed a virtually identical immunolocalisation pattern to that of type II collagen in the foetal tissues, but a slightly divergent localisation pattern in adult tissues. Aggrecan was also localised in the cartilaginous joint tissues, which were clearly delineated by toluidine blue staining and the type II collagen immunolocalisations. It was also present in the capsular joint tissues and in ligaments and tendons in the joint, which stained poorly or not at all with toluidine blue. In higher power microscopic views, antibodies to perlecan also stained small blood vessels in the synovial lining tissues of the joint capsule; however, this was not discernable in low power macroscopic views where the immunolocalisation of perlecan to pericellular regions of cells within the cartilaginous rudiments was a predominant feature. Perlecan was also evident in small blood vessels in stromal connective tissues associated with the cartilage rudiments and with occasional nerves in the vicinity of the joint tissues. Perlecan was expressed by rounded cells in the enthesis attachment points of tendons to bone and in rounded cells in the inner third of the meniscus, which stained prominently with type II collagen and aggrecan identifying the chondrogenic background of these cells and local compressive loads. Flattened cells within the tendon and in the surface laminas of articular cartilages and the meniscus did not express perlecan. Collected evidence presented herein, therefore, indicates that besides being a basement membrane component, perlecan is also a marker of chondrogenic cells in prenatal cartilages. In postnatal cartilages, perlecan displayed a pericellular localisation pattern rather than the territorial or interterritorial localisation it displayed in foetal cartilages. This may reflect processing of extracellular perlecan presumably as a consequence of intrinsic biomechanical loading on these tissues or to divergent functions for perlecan and type II collagen in adult compared to prenatal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Smith
- Raymond Purves Laboratory, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, The Royal North Shore Hospital, Level 10, Kolling Building B6, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
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Saha AK, Kohles SS. A Distinct Catabolic to Anabolic Threshold Due to Single-Cell Static Nanomechanical Stimulation in a Cartilage Biokinetics Model. J Nanotechnol Eng Med 2010; 1:10.1115/1.4001934. [PMID: 21152243 PMCID: PMC2998284 DOI: 10.1115/1.4001934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Understanding physicochemical interactions during biokinetic regulation will be critical for the creation of relevant nanotechnology supporting cellular and molecular engineering. The impact of nanoscale influences in medicine and biology can be explored in detail through mathematical models as an in silico testbed. In a recent single-cell biomechanical analysis, the cytoskeletal strain response due to fluid-induced stresses was characterized (Wilson, Z. D., and Kohles, S. S., 2010, "Two-Dimensional Modeling of Nanomechanical Strains in Healthy and Diseased Single-Cells During Microfluidic Stress Applications," J. Nanotech. Eng. Med., 1(2), p. 021005). Results described a microfluidic environment having controlled nanometer and piconewton resolution for explorations of multiscale mechanobiology. In the present study, we constructed a mathematical model exploring the nanoscale biomolecular response to that controlled microenvironment. We introduce mechanical stimuli and scaling factor terms as specific input values for regulating a cartilage molecule synthesis. Iterative model results for this initial multiscale static load application have identified a transition threshold load level from which the mechanical input causes a shift from a catabolic state to an anabolic state. Modeled molecule homeostatic levels appear to be dependent upon the mechanical stimulus as reflected experimentally. This work provides a specific mathematical framework from which to explore biokinetic regulation. Further incorporation of nanomechanical stresses and strains into biokinetic models will ultimately lead to refined mechanotransduction relationships at the cellular and molecular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asit K. Saha
- Center for Allaying Health Disparities through Research and Education (CADRE), Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Central State University, Wilberforce, OH 45384
| | - Sean S. Kohles
- Reparative Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201; Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97201
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Cucchiarini M, Terwilliger EF, Kohn D, Madry H. Remodelling of human osteoarthritic cartilage by FGF-2, alone or combined with Sox9 via rAAV gene transfer. J Cell Mol Med 2010; 13:2476-2488. [PMID: 18705695 DOI: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2008.00474.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Compensating for the loss of extracellular cartilage matrix, as well as counteracting the alterations of the chondrocyte phenotype in osteoarthritis are of key importance to develop effective therapeutic strategies against this disorder. In the present study, we analysed the benefits of applying a potent gene combination to remodel human osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage. We employed the promising recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector to deliver the mitogenic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) factor, alone or simultaneously with the transcription factor Sox9 as a key activator of matrix synthesis, to human normal and OA articular chondrocytes. We evaluated the effects of single (FGF-2) or combined (FGF-2/SOX9) transgene expression upon the regenerative activities of chondrocytes in three dimensional cultures in vitro and in cartilage explants in situ. Single overexpression of FGF-2 enhanced the survival and proliferation of both normal and OA chondrocytes, without stimulating the matrix synthetic processes in the increased pools of cells. The mitogenic properties of FGF-2 were maintained when SOX9 was co-overexpressed and concomitant with an increase in the production of proteoglycans and type-II collagen, suggesting that the transcription factor was capable of counterbalancing the effects of FGF-2 on matrix accumulation. Also important, expression of type-X collagen, a marker of hypertrophy strongly decreased following treatment by the candidate vectors. Most remarkably, the levels of activities achieved in co-treated human OA cartilage were similar to or higher than those observed in normal cartilage. The present findings show that combined expression of candidate factors in OA cartilage can re-establish key features of normal cartilage and prevent the pathological shift of metabolic homeostasis. These data provide further motivation to develop coupled gene transfer approaches via rAAV for the treatment of human OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Cucchiarini
- Laboratory for Experimental Orthopaedics, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Ernest F Terwilliger
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Harvard Institutes of Medicine and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dieter Kohn
- Laboratory for Experimental Orthopaedics, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Henning Madry
- Laboratory for Experimental Orthopaedics, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
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