title: Extracellular fatty acid binding protein (Ex-FABP) modulation by inflammatory agents: "physiological" acute phase response in endochondral bone formation.
abstract: Ex-FABP, extracellular fatty acid binding protein, is a 21 kDa lipocalin expressed in hypertrophic cartilage, muscle and heart during chick embryo development and in granulocytes. Ex-FABP synthesis was increased in chondrocyte and myoblast cultures by inflammatory agents (LPS; IL6) and repressed by antiinflammatory agents. Expression of Ex-FABP and specific gelatinases is paralleled in hypertrophic cartilage; LPS specifically induced high molecular weight gelatinase ( > 200 kDa). LPS-treated hypertrophic chondrocytes showed increased chemotactic activity for endothelial cells paralleled by increased expression of transferrin. A high amount of Ex-FABP was expressed in adult pathological cartilage both in dyschondroplastic and osteoarthritic chickens. Controls were negative. Ex-FABP could represent a stress protein physiologically expressed in tissues where active remodelling is taking place during development and in tissues characterized by an acute phase response due to pathological conditions. We also suggest that during endochondral bone formation other responses characteristic of a local inflammatory status, such as gelatinase production and angiogenic factor secretion, are "physiologically" activated.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Centro di Biotecnologie Avanzate, Genova/Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cermelli
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zerega
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlevaro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gentili
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thorp
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farquharson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cancedda
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Cancedda
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction; D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000196:embryology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002633:Chemotaxis; D002642:Chick Embryo; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D003207:Conalbumin / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D054834:Lipocalins; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism; D010009:Osteochondrodysplasias / Q000378:metabolism; D013977:Tibia / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C066299:Ch21 protein, chicken; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D054834:Lipocalins; D003207:Conalbumin; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases