title: The roles of matrix molecules in mediating chondrocyte aggregation, attachment, and spreading.
abstract: The most abundant macromolecules in cartilage are hyaluronan, collagen, aggrecan, and link protein, which are believed to play roles in maintaining a unique three-dimensional network for a functional joint. This study was designed to investigate the roles of the major extracellular molecules in mediating chondrocyte-matrix interactions. We employed specific approaches to remove components individually or in combination: hyaluronan was digested with hyaluronidase; type II collagen was digested with collagenase; aggrecan expression was inhibited with antisense and beta-xyloside approaches; and link protein expression was inhibited with antisense oligonucleotides. Digestion of hyaluronan induced chondrocyte attachment to tissue culture plates, collagen-coated plates, and fibroblast-like chondrocyte cultures, and induced chondrocyte aggregation. Treated chondrocytes exhibited a fibroblast-like morphology, and the effects of hyaluronidase were dose-dependent. Conversely, the effect of collagenase on chondrocyte adhesion and aggregation was far less pronounced. Treatment with Arg-Gly-Asp peptide inhibited chondrocyte-collagen interaction. Chondrocyte attachment was enhanced by antisense oligonucleotides complementary to aggrecan and link protein and by beta-xyloside treatment. Nevertheless, hyaluronan seems to predominate over the other molecules in mediating chondrocyte-matrix interactions.
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kiani
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase