title: Increased MIG-6 mRNA transcripts in osteoarthritic cartilage.
abstract: The biochemical mechanism for initiation of cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis (OA) is unknown but may involve as yet unidentified cartilage genes. The first evidence that MIG-6, a protein involved in signal transduction, is expressed in articular cartilage came from our recent in vitro microarray experiments using the Affymetrix canine GeneChip. Quantitative RT-PCR (q RT-PCR) confirmed a fourfold increase in MIG-6 mRNA in cartilage in response to mechanical impact in vitro. Our goal is to determine if MIG-6, which responds to mechanical impact, could have a role in the initiation of OA. We determined that mRNA transcript levels of MIG-6 were fourfold higher in degenerated cartilage from dogs with hip osteoarthritis than in disease-free cartilage from unaffected dogs and twofold higher than in the cartilage surrounding the lesion. This is the first report associating MIG-6 with OA. Additional studies will determine what role MIG-6 has in the origin of cartilage degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, NY 14853, USA. rgm9@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Raluca G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Mateescu
authors.forename: Rory J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Todhunter
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lust
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burton-Wurster
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors