Project description:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) leads to progressive destruction of articular structures. Despite recent progress in controlling inflammation and pain, little cartilage repair has yet been observed. This in vitro study aims to determine the role of chondrocytes in RA-related cartilage destruction and antirheumatic drug-related regenerative processes. Human chondrocytes were three-dimensionally cultured in alginate beads. To determine the RA-induced gene expression pattern, human chondrocytes were stimulated with supernatant of RA synovial fibroblasts (RASF) and normal donor synovial fibroblasts (NDSF), respectively. To examine antirheumatic drug response signatures, human chondrocytes were stimulated with supernatant of RASF that have been treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD; azathioprine, sodium aurothiomalate, chloroquine phosphate, methotrexate), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID; piroxicam, diclofenac) or steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAID; methylprednisolone, prednisolone). Genome-wide expression profiling with oligonucleotide microarrays was used to determine differentially expressed genes. Real-time RT-PCR and ELISA were performed for validation of microarray data. Following antirheumatic treatment, microarray analysis disclosed a reverted expression of 94 RA-induced chondrocyte genes involved in inflammation/NF-ÎºB signalling, cytokine/chemokine activity, immune response, proliferation/differentiation and matrix remodelling. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that treatment of RASF with the DMARD azathioprine, gold sodium thiomalate and methotrexate resulted in chondrocyte gene expression signatures that were closely related to the âhealthyâ pattern. Treatment with the SAID methylprednisolone and prednisolone strongly reverted the RA-related chondrocyte gene expression, in particular the expression of genes involved in inflammation/NF-ÎºB and cytokine/chemokine activity. The NSAID piroxicam and diclofenac and the DMARD chloroquine phosphate had only moderate to marginal effects. Pathway analysis determined major mechanisms of drug action, for example pathways of cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, TGF-Î²/TLR/Jak-STAT signalling and ECM-receptor interaction were targeted. This in vitro study provides a comprehensive molecular insight into the antirheumatic drug response signatures in human chondrocytes, thereby revealing potential molecular targets, pathways and mechanisms of drug action involved in chondrocyte regeneration. Thus, the present study may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic chondro-protective compounds and strategies. Experiment Overall Design: Drug-related suppression of gene expression in activated chondrocytes was determined by genome-wide microarray analysis. Chondrocytes were stimulated with supernatant of RASF and NDSF. Effect of treatment with DMARDs, NSAIDs and glucocorticoids was tested by treating RASF prior to collection of supernatant. Two RNA pools were analyzed for each group (RASF-stimulated NDSF stimulated and RASF-treated), each pool consisting of equal amounts of RNA from three different donors.

Project description:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) leads to progressive destruction of articular structures. Despite recent progress in controlling inflammation and pain, little cartilage repair has yet been observed. This in vitro study aims to determine the role of chondrocytes in RA-related cartilage destruction and antirheumatic drug-related regenerative processes. Human chondrocytes were three-dimensionally cultured in alginate beads. To determine the RA-induced gene expression pattern, human chondrocytes were stimulated with supernatant of RA synovial fibroblasts (RASF) and normal donor synovial fibroblasts (NDSF), respectively. To examine antirheumatic drug response signatures, human chondrocytes were stimulated with supernatant of RASF that have been treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD; azathioprine, sodium aurothiomalate, chloroquine phosphate, methotrexate), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID; piroxicam, diclofenac) or steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAID; methylprednisolone, prednisolone). Genome-wide expression profiling with oligonucleotide microarrays was used to determine differentially expressed genes. Real-time RT-PCR and ELISA were performed for validation of microarray data. Following antirheumatic treatment, microarray analysis disclosed a reverted expression of 94 RA-induced chondrocyte genes involved in inflammation/NF-κB signalling, cytokine/chemokine activity, immune response, proliferation/differentiation and matrix remodelling. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that treatment of RASF with the DMARD azathioprine, gold sodium thiomalate and methotrexate resulted in chondrocyte gene expression signatures that were closely related to the “healthy” pattern. Treatment with the SAID methylprednisolone and prednisolone strongly reverted the RA-related chondrocyte gene expression, in particular the expression of genes involved in inflammation/NF-κB and cytokine/chemokine activity. The NSAID piroxicam and diclofenac and the DMARD chloroquine phosphate had only moderate to marginal effects. Pathway analysis determined major mechanisms of drug action, for example pathways of cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, TGF-β/TLR/Jak-STAT signalling and ECM-receptor interaction were targeted. This in vitro study provides a comprehensive molecular insight into the antirheumatic drug response signatures in human chondrocytes, thereby revealing potential molecular targets, pathways and mechanisms of drug action involved in chondrocyte regeneration. Thus, the present study may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic chondro-protective compounds and strategies. Keywords: drug response

Project description:Osteoarthritis (OA) is an aging-associated disease of diarthrodial joints that involves changes in the bone, cartilage and soft tissue. Chondrocytes are the only cell type in cartilage and play a pivotal role in tissue homeostasis and cartilage remodeling in OA. Age- or OA-dependent metabolic changes affecting extracelluar matrix composition as well as variations in the response to cytokines and growth factors have been investigated in human chondrocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms causing age-dependent variation of the chondrocyte phenotype are poorly characterized. The proinflammatory mediator nitric oxide (NO) is produced when chondrocytes are exposed to cytokines such as IL-1. NO affects the energy metabolism of cells through interfering with mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis and has been implicated in extracellular matrix synthesis and degradation and chondrocyte death. NO may contribute to the aging process by compromising the energy balance ! in chondrocytes through the generation of an oxidizing environment and this may in turn affect matrix gene expression. In human chondrocytes NO effects on the expression of extacelluar matrix genes or genes related to matrix structure have not been addressed comprehensively. In chondrocytes NO has profound effects on extracellular matrix: Interleukin-1 induced the production of nitric oxide in human articular chondrocytes in alginate culture and simultaneously inhibited the biosynthesis of proteoglycans. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) inhibited nitric oxide formation and the suppression of proteoglycan synthesis. The nitric oxide donor, S-nitrosyl-acetyl-D,L- penicillamine (SNAP) also inhibited proteoglycan biosynthesis suggesting that interleukin-1 suppresses matrix synthesis through mechanisms involving the production of NO. Slices of rabbit articular cartilage synthesized large quantities of nitric oxide (NO) following exposure to IL-1 and strongly suppressed the incorporation of 35SO4 into the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of cartilage proteoglycans. Simultaneous treatment of cartilage fragments with IL-1 and L-NMMA inhibited NO synthesis in response to IL-1 and restored proteoglycan synthesis. SNAP reversibly mimicked the effect! of IL-1 on proteoglycan synthesis. These data suggest that endogenously synthesized NO is the mediator which reduces cartilage proteoglycan synthesis in response to cytokines such as IL-1. Aggrecan and type II collagen synthesis are also affected by NO. Our hypothesis entails that in human chondrocytes endogenous NO modulates the expression of matrix genes as well as enzymes involved in extracellular matrix remodelling. Experimental approach: In this experiment cultured chondrocytes from 3 donors was left unstimulated (control) or stimulated with IL-1, L-NMMA or IL-1 + L-NMMA for a period of 8 days in order to achieve sufficiently high levels of intracellular NO and stable expression of a subset of genes. Total RNA was isolated using the Trizol procedure. Gene expression will be probed using the Glycov2 chip. In this study cultured chondrocytes from three donors will either be left unstimulated (control) or stimulated with IL-1, L-NMMA or IL-1 L-NMMA for a period of 8 days in order to achieve sufficiently high levels of intracellular NO and stable expression of a subset of genes. 12 Samples were hybridized and analyzed using the GLYCOv2 array, three from each class.

Project description:Osteoarthritis (OA) is an aging-associated disease of diarthrodial joints that involves changes in the bone, cartilage and soft tissue. Chondrocytes are the only cell type in cartilage and play a pivotal role in tissue homeostasis and cartilage remodeling in OA. Age- or OA-dependent metabolic changes affecting extracelluar matrix composition as well as variations in the response to cytokines and growth factors have been investigated in human chondrocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms causing age-dependent variation of the chondrocyte phenotype are poorly characterized. The proinflammatory mediator nitric oxide (NO) is produced when chondrocytes are exposed to cytokines such as IL-1. NO affects the energy metabolism of cells through interfering with mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis and has been implicated in extracellular matrix synthesis and degradation and chondrocyte death. NO may contribute to the aging process by compromising the energy balance ! in chondrocytes through the generation of an oxidizing environment and this may in turn affect matrix gene expression. In human chondrocytes NO effects on the expression of extacelluar matrix genes or genes related to matrix structure have not been addressed comprehensively. In chondrocytes NO has profound effects on extracellular matrix: Interleukin-1 induced the production of nitric oxide in human articular chondrocytes in alginate culture and simultaneously inhibited the biosynthesis of proteoglycans. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) inhibited nitric oxide formation and the suppression of proteoglycan synthesis. The nitric oxide donor, S-nitrosyl-acetyl-D,L- penicillamine (SNAP) also inhibited proteoglycan biosynthesis suggesting that interleukin-1 suppresses matrix synthesis through mechanisms involving the production of NO. Slices of rabbit articular cartilage synthesized large quantities of nitric oxide (NO) following exposure to IL-1 and strongly suppressed the incorporation of 35SO4 into the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of cartilage proteoglycans. Simultaneous treatment of cartilage fragments with IL-1 and L-NMMA inhibited NO synthesis in response to IL-1 and restored proteoglycan synthesis. SNAP reversibly mimicked the effect! of IL-1 on proteoglycan synthesis. These data suggest that endogenously synthesized NO is the mediator which reduces cartilage proteoglycan synthesis in response to cytokines such as IL-1. Aggrecan and type II collagen synthesis are also affected by NO. Our hypothesis entails that in human chondrocytes endogenous NO modulates the expression of matrix genes as well as enzymes involved in extracellular matrix remodelling. Experimental approach: In this experiment cultured chondrocytes from 3 donors was left unstimulated (control) or stimulated with IL-1, L-NMMA or IL-1 + L-NMMA for a period of 8 days in order to achieve sufficiently high levels of intracellular NO and stable expression of a subset of genes. Total RNA was isolated using the Trizol procedure. Gene expression will be probed using the Glycov2 chip.

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Key Regulatory Molecules of Cartilage Destruction in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An in vitro Study

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