Osteogenic protein (OP-1, BMP-7) stimulates cartilage differentiation of human and goat perichondrium tissuein vitro

✍ Scribed by Klein-Nulend, J. ;Louwerse, R. T. ;Heyligers, I. C. ;Wuisman, P. I. J. M. ;Semeins, C. M. ;Goei, S. W. ;Burger, E. H.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 277 KB
• Volume: 40
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9304
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4636(19980615)40:4<614::aid-jbm13>3.0.co;2-f

✦ Synopsis

The objective of this study was to examine in vitro the influence of recombinant human osteogenic protein-1 [rhOP-1, or bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7)] on cartilage formation by human and goat perichondrium tissue containing progenitor cells with chondrogenic potential. Fragments of outer ear perichondrium tissue were embedded in clotting autologous blood to which rhOP-1 had been added or not added (controls), and the resulting explant was cultured for 3 weeks without further addition of rhOP-1. Cartilage formation was monitored biochemically by measuring [ 35 S]-sulphate incorporation into proteoglycans and histologically by monitoring the presence of metachromatic matrix with cells in nests. The presence of rhOP-1 in the explant at the beginning of culture stimulated [ 35 S]sulphate incorporation into proteoglycans in a dosedependent manner after 3 weeks of culture. Maximal stimulation was reached at 40 g/mL (human explants: +148%; goat explants: +116%). Histology revealed that explants treated with 20-200 g/mL of rhOP-1, but not untreated control explants, contained areas of metachromatic-staining matrix with chondrocytes in cell nests. It was concluded that rhOP-1 stimulates differentiation of cartilage from perichondrium tissue. The direct actions of rhOP-1 on perichondrium cells in the stimulation of chondrocytic differentiation and production of cartilage matrix in vitro provides a cellular mechanism for the induction of cartilage formation by rhOP-1 in vivo. Thus rhOP-1 may promote early steps in the cascade of events leading to cartilage formation and could prove to be an interesting factor in the regeneration of cartilage in articular cartilage defects.