Agrin mediates chondrocyte homeostasis and requires both LRP4 and α-dystroglycan to enhance cartilage formation in vitro and in vivo.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability for which there is no cure. The identification of molecules supporting cartilage homeostasis and regeneration is therefore a major pursuit in musculoskeletal medicine. Agrin is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan which, through binding to low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), is required for neuromuscular synapse formation. In other tissues, it connects the cytoskeleton to the basement membrane through binding to α-dystroglycan. Prompted by an unexpected expression pattern, we investigated the role and receptor usage of agrin in cartilage.

Methods

Agrin expression pattern was investigated in human osteoarthritic cartilage and following destabilisation of the medial meniscus in mice. Extracellular

SUBMITTER: Eldridge S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4760904 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature