title: Basic calcium phosphate crystals stimulate cell proliferation and collagenase message accumulation in cultured adult articular chondrocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate BCP (basic calcium phosphate) crystal-stimulated mitogenesis and collagenase gene transcription in primary cultures of porcine chondrocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The role of protein kinases in BCP crystal-stimulated DNA synthesis was investigated using thymidine incorporation, kinase inhibitors, and protein kinase C (PKC) assays. Northern blot analysis was used to determine the levels of collagenase c-fos and c-jun message.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BCP crystals stimulated chondrocyte proliferation in a PKC-dependent manner. Increased levels of collagenase message were preceded by an increased accumulation of c-fos, but not c-jun.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BCP crystals could contribute to the abnormal chondrocyte proliferation and collagenase secretion observed in some rheumatic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Struve
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003460:Crystallization; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003012:Microbial Collagenase / Q000235:genetics*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000494:pharmacology; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D003012:Microbial Collagenase