title: Adiponectin and leptin induce VCAM-1 expression in human and murine chondrocytes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the most common rheumatic diseases, are characterized by irreversible degeneration of the joint tissues. There are several factors involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases including pro-inflammatory cytokines, adipokines and adhesion molecules.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Up to now, the relationship between adipokines and adhesion molecules at cartilage level was not explored. Thus, the aim of this article was to study the effect of leptin and adiponectin on the expression of VCAM-1 in human and murine chondrocytes. For completeness, intracellular signal transduction pathway was also explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  VCAM-1 expression was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR and western blot analysis upon treatment with leptin, adiponectin and other pertinent reagents in cultured human primary chondrocytes. Signal transduction pathways have been explored by using specific pharmacological inhibitors in the adipokine-stimulated human primary chondrocytes and ATDC5 murine chondrocyte cell line.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Herein, we demonstrate, for the first time, that leptin and adiponectin increase VCAM-1 expression in human and murine chondrocytes. In addition, both adipokines have additive effect with IL-1β. Finally, we demonstrate that several kinases, including JAK2, PI3K and AMPK are at a play in the intracellular signalling of VCAM-1 induction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our results suggest that leptin and adiponectin could perpetuate cartilage-degrading processes by inducing also factors responsible of leukocyte and monocyte infiltration at inflamed joints.
authors.affiliation: NEIRID Lab (NeuroEndocrine Interaction in Rheumatology and Inflammatory Diseases), SERGAS, Santiago University Clinical Hospital, Institute of Medical Research (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conde
authors.forename: Morena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scotece
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lago
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pino
authors.forename: Juan Jesús
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gómez-Reino
authors.forename: Oreste
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gualillo
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1