title: TGF-β1 differentially modulates the collagen VI α5 and α6 chains in human tendon cultures.
abstract: Collagen VI is a microfibrillar collagen with a potential regulatory role in tendon repair mechanism. We studied the expression of collagen VI α5 and α6 chains in normal human tendon fibroblast cultures, both under basal condition and in response to TGF-β1, a potent regulator of tendon healing. Under basal condition, we found that the α5 chain was expressed, although to a lesser extent with respect to the α3 chain; in contrast, the α6 chain was absent. The treatment with TGFβ1 induced an opposite effect on the expression of the α5 and α6 chains; in fact, while the α5 chain was dramatically reduced, the α6 chain was induced and released in the culture medium. These data indicate that collagen VI α5 and α6 chains are differentially involved in tendon matrix homeostasis. The α6 chain may represent a new potential biomarker for monitoring TGFβ1-related events in tendon, as healing and fibrotic scar formation.
authors.affiliation: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Bologna, Italy.|IOR-IRCCS, SC Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Cell Biology, Bologna, Italy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sabatelli
authors.affiliation: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Bologna, Italy.|IOR-IRCCS, SC Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Cell Biology, Bologna, Italy
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sardone
authors.affiliation: University of Bologna, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Traina
authors.affiliation: DIBINEM-Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Merlini
authors.affiliation: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Bologna, Italy.|IOR-IRCCS, SC Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Cell Biology, Bologna, Italy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santi
authors.affiliation: Center for Biochemistry, Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC) and Cologne Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (CCMB), University of Cologne, Germany
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wagener
authors.affiliation: University of Bologna, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faldini
mesh_terms: D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D003094:Collagen