title: The effects of different molecular weight chondroitin-4-sulfates in chondrocyte pellet culture.
abstract: For this study, we cultured chondrocyte pellets in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium plus a 2 % fetal bovine serum medium, and treated them with 2- to 8-mer oligosaccharides of chondroitin sulfate A to examine the effects of these oligosaccharides on the differentiation and protection of chondrocytes. We found low-molecular-weight CSAs to increase the ratio of the gene expression levels of collagen II/collagen I of chondrocytes from the first day up to 14 days after culture compared with those under a CSA-free medium. Moreover, low-molecular-weight CSAs inhibited the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and peptidases, and stimulated an endogenous tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases. The dp-8 (8-mer) CSA yielded the most effective response among promoting collagen type II protein secretions compared with other groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shu-Rui
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Sydney
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chao-Yin
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan, ROC. imchu@che.nthu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: I-Ming
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Chu
keywords: Chondrocyte; Chondroitin-4-sulfate; Collagen; Gene; Metalloproteinase