title: Human articular chondrocytes acquire 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D-3 receptors in culture.
abstract: The vitamin D endocrine system is crucial in calcium homeostasis in mammalian species. Central to this role 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) receptors have been detected in freshly isolated osteoblast-like bone cells and it has been shown that the active metabolite of vitamin D-3 1,25-(OH)2D3, increases bone resorption in vitro and in vivo. The requirement of 1,25-(OH)2D3 for the normal development of growth plate cartilage can be seen in vitamin D deficient rickets. However, there is still considerable controversy regarding the presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3 receptors in chondrocytes. In this paper, we report the presence of a 3.5-S 1,25-(OH)2D3-binding macromolecule in freshly isolated human costal but not articular chondrocytes. After subculture, both articular and costal chondrocytes have receptors. Saturation binding analysis revealed a single class of binding sites with an apparent Kd of 0.09 nM and approx. 2700 receptor molecules per cell for articular chondrocytes and a Kd of 0.1 nM and approx. 2000 receptor molecules per cell for costal chondrocytes. The presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3 receptors did not correlate with the switch from synthesis of cartilage-specific type II collagen to types I and III collagens. The acquisition of 1,25-(OH)2D3 receptors by articular chondrocytes may, therefore, be another phenotypic characteristic of cultured cells or may appear in vivo when chondrocytes are exposed to vascular or inflammatory cell products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bhalla
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wojno
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Goldring
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000378:metabolism; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D003094:Collagen; D002117:Calcitriol