Hydrostatic pressure modulates proteoglycan metabolism in chondrocytes seeded in agarose.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of isolated hydrostatic pressure on proteoglycan metabolism in chondrocytes.


METHODS
Bovine articular chondrocytes cultured in agarose gels were subjected to 5 MPa hydrostatic pressure for 4 hours in either a static or a pulsatile (1 Hz) mode, and changes in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis, hydrodynamic size, and aggregation properties of proteoglycans and aggrecan messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were determined.


RESULTS
The application of 5 MPa static pressure caused a significant increase in GAG synthesis of 11% (P < 0.05). Column chromatography showed that this increase in GAG synthesis was associated with large proteoglycans. In addition, semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed a 4-fold increase in levels of aggrecan mRNA (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Hydrostatic pressure in isolation, which does not cause cell deformation, can affect proteoglycan metabolism in chondrocytes cultured in agarose gels, indicating an important role of hydrostatic pressure in the regulation of extracellular matrix turnover in articular cartilage.
Toyoda
Takashi
T
Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. tttoyoda@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
Seedhom
Bahaa B
BB
Yao
Jian Q
JQ
Kirkham
Jennifer
J
Brookes
Steven
S
Bonass
William A
WA
D053674:Aggrecans; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012685:Sepharose
D053674:Aggrecans; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D012685:Sepharose; D010100:Oxygen