title: Age-related decline in chondrocyte response to insulin-like growth factor-I: the role of growth factor binding proteins.
abstract: The synthetic activity of chondrocytes in articular cartilage declines with age, possibly as a result of decreased sensitivity to anabolic growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor-I. The sensitivity of these cells to insulin-like growth factor-I is regulated, in part, by the synthesis of insulin-like growth factor-I binding proteins. We hypothesized that, as cartilage ages, an increase in the expression of these binding proteins suppresses the synthetic response of chondrocytes to insulin-like growth factor-I. To test this hypothesis, we measured proteoglycan synthesis (incorporation of [35S]sulfate per cell) in alginate cultures of chondrocytes from the articular cartilage of 1, 3, 12, and 24-month-old rats. A dose-response to insulin-like growth factor-I was determined for cells from each age group; incorporation of [35S]sulfate per cell declined with age, regardless of the dose. The sharpest decline was found between cells from the 1 and 3-month-old groups. Using the Western ligand blot technique, we then compared the expression of insulin-like growth factor-I binding protein in chondrocytes from the 1 and 3-month-old rats and found that it was increased in the cells from the older animals. Recombinant insulin-like growth factor-3, when added to the cell cultures of the 1-month-old rats, inhibited incorporation of [35S]sulfate and blocked responses to insulin-like growth factor-I. These findings suggest that the age-related decline in the synthetic response of chondrocytes to insulin-like growth factor-I results, at least in part, from increased expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ellerbroek
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buckwalter
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes
chemical_list: D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D013431:Sulfates; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I