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Distribution and role of tenascin-C in human osteoarthritic cartilage

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Abstract

Background

Tenascin-C (TN-C) is expressed in the cartilage of osteoarthritis (OA). We examined whether TN-C was involved in cartilage repair of the diseased joints. Human articular cartilage samples were obtained from patients with OA and those with normal joints.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry testing of TN-C, chondroitin sulfate (CS), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was performed. Chondrocytes were isolated from human cartilage and cultured. After treatment with TN-C, chondrocyte proliferation s was analyzed by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Glycosaminoglycan content was determined by dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) assay. The mRNA expression of aggrecan was also analyzed, by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

In osteoarthritic cartilage, increased TN-C staining was observed with the degeneration of articular cartilage in comparison with normal cartilage. TN-C staining was shown in the cartilage surface overlying CS-positive areas. In addition, the expression of PCNA in the positive areas for TN-C was significantly higher than that in the negative areas. Treatment of human articular chondrocytes with 10 μg/ml TN-C accelerated chondrocyte proliferation, increased the proteoglycan amount in culture, and increased the expression of aggrecan mRNA.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that the distribution of TN-C is related to CS production and chondrocyte proliferation in osteoarthritic cartilage and that TN-C has effects on DNA synthesis, proteoglycan content, and aggrecan mRNA expression in vitro. TN-C may be responsible for repair in human osteoarthritic cartilage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu City, Mie, 514-8507, Japan

    Yutaka Nakoshi, Masahiro Hasegawa, Koji Akeda, Takahiro Iino, Akihiro Sudo, Toshimichi Yoshida & Atsumasa Uchida

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  1. Yutaka Nakoshi
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  2. Masahiro Hasegawa
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  3. Koji Akeda
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  4. Takahiro Iino
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  5. Akihiro Sudo
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  6. Toshimichi Yoshida
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  7. Atsumasa Uchida
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Nakoshi, Y., Hasegawa, M., Akeda, K. et al. Distribution and role of tenascin-C in human osteoarthritic cartilage. J Orthop Sci 15, 666–673 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-010-1513-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-010-1513-x

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