title: Up-regulation of MDC15 (metargidin) messenger RNA in human osteoarthritic cartilage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of the disintegrin metalloproteinase MDC15 (metargidin, or ADAM-15) in normal and osteoarthritic (OA) articular cartilage.
  
  
  METHODS
  In situ hybridization experiments and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed on tissue samples of adult normal and OA articular cartilage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MDC15 mRNA could be detected in normal articular cartilage by RT-PCR using tissue-extracted total RNA as a template. However, the mRNA level remained below the sensitivity of in situ hybridization. In contrast, in situ hybridizations of OA cartilage revealed an intense staining with the MDC15-specific riboprobes. The extension of the analysis to chondrosarcomas showed a strong up-regulation of MDC15 mRNA in these malignant transformed cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate a markedly strong up-regulation of MDC15 in adult OA and neoplastic cartilage compared with adult normal articular cartilage, indicating a potential role of the disintegrin metalloproteinase in cartilage remodeling.
authors.affiliation: University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Böhm
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aigner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gehrsitz
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Blobel
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kalden
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism*; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000235:genetics; D019483:Disintegrins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D019483:Disintegrins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051722:ADAM Proteins; C098660:ADAM15 protein, human; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases