Expression of PDCD5, a novel apoptosis related protein, in human osteoarthritic cartilage.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression features of PDCD5 (programmed cell death 5 protein) in osteoarthritic and normal human cartilage, and speculate on its potential functions in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA).


METHODS
Articular cartilage specimens were obtained from 30 patients with OA and 16 healthy patients at the time of arthroplasty. Expression of PDCD5 was detected by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis.


RESULTS
Enhanced expression and nuclear accumulation of PDCD5 in OA chondrocytes were found. PDCD5-positive chondrocytes were mainly distributed in the superficial and deep zones of OA tissue sections, as opposed to, in the superficial and middle regions of normal healthy tissue sections.


CONCLUSIONS
Since apoptotic chondrocyte death occurs more frequently in OA cartilage than in normal healthy cartilage and PDCD5 is an apoptosis-related protein, the different expression patterns of PDCD5 in OA cartilage from that in normal healthy cartilage indicate that PDCD5 is involved in the pathogenesis of OA.
Cheng
Ai-xin
AX
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China. A.Cheng@dundee.ac.uk
Lou
Si-quan
SQ
Zhou
Hao-wei
HW
Wang
Ying
Y
Ma
Da-long
DL
D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D002469:Cell Separation; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C117283:PDCD5 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger