AN N-terminal peptide from link protein stimulates proteoglycan biosynthesis in human articular cartilage in vitro
✍ Scribed by Louise A. McKenna; Hongxiang Liu; Paul A. Sansom; Michael F. Dean
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1998
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 578 KB
- Volume
- 41
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0004-3591
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
To determine the effects of a synthetic N-terminal peptide from link protein on the synthesis of proteoglycans by human articular cartilage.
Methods. Explants from adult knee cartilage were maintained for 4 days in serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. Peptides were added for the final 2 days of culture. Synthesis of proteoglycans and proteins was measured by the incorporation of "S-sulfate and 'H-serine. The sizes, sulfation patterns, and serine: sulfate ratios of newly synthesized glycosaniinoglycans were measured by gel chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, and ion-exchange chromatography.
Results. The N-terminal peptide stimulated proteoglycan synthesis in cartilage from a wide age range of patients of both sexes. The newly synthesized glycosaminoglycans were identical in size and composition to those of control tissues, and their serine:sulfate ratios remained unchanged.
Conclusion. This N-terminal peptide, which can be liberated from proteoglycan aggregates by proteolysis, potently stimulated the synthesis of proteoglycans with normal glycosaminoglycan chains. The results suggest that the N-terminal peptide may have a regulatory role in maintaining the integrity of human cartilage matrix.