Autologous chondrocyte implantation. Culture in a TGF-beta-containing medium enhances the re-expression of a chondrocytic phenotype in passaged human chondrocytes in pellet culture

An increasing number of patients are treated by autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). This study tests the hypothesis that culture within a defined chondrogenic medium containing TGF-beta enhances the re-expression of a chondrocytic phenotype and the subsequent production of cartilaginous extracellular matrix by human chondrocytes used in ACI. Chondrocytes surplus to clinical requirements for ACI from 24 patients were pelleted and cultured in either DMEM (Dulbecco's modified eagles medium)/ITS+Premix/TGF-beta1 or DMEM/10%FCS (fetal calf serum) and were subsequently analysed biochemically and morphologically. Pellets cultured in DMEM/ITS+/TGF-beta1 stained positively for type-II collagen, while those maintained in DMEM/10%FCS expressed type-I collagen. The pellets cultured in DMEM/ITS+/TGF-beta1 were larger and contained significantly greater amounts of DNA and glycosaminoglycans. This study suggests that the use of a defined medium containing TGF-beta is necessary to induce the re-expression of a differentiated chondrocytic phenotype and the subsequent stimulation of glycosaminoglycan and type-II collagen production by human monolayer expanded chondrocytes.     

Flow cytometric analysis of the human articular chondrocyte phenotype in vitro

OBJECTIVE: To develop flow cytometry for the study of human articular cartilage cell phenotype and to validate the method on chondrocytes cultured in different in-vitro systems. METHODS: Chondrocyte phenotype was modulated by culturing the cells under different in-vitro conditions: i.e. in monolayer and in suspension culture in gelled agarose. Monolayer cultured chondrocyte phenotype was assayed by immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibodies against chondrocyte-specific aggrecan, type II and I collagen. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the proportions of chondrocytes expressing these extracellular matrix molecules in both culture conditions. To exclude the effects of cell-harvesting methods on the presence of cell-bound ECM molecules, non-proteolytic isolation procedures were used to obtain the chondrocytes for flow cytometry. Subconfluent cells from monolayer cultures were detached with EDTA. Chondrocytes cultured in gelled agarose were obtained after the agarose was enzymatically digested with agarase. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining showed that monolayer-cultured chondrocytes, in the presence of serum, gradually lost the expression of chondrocyte-specific aggrecan and type II collagen, while type I collagen was increasingly expressed. Flow cytometry allowed monolayer cultured chondrocyte phenotype to be assessed reproducibly. Chondrocyte phenotype was characterized through the cell membrane-associated extracellular matrix antigens. EDTA, used to obtain single cells from monolayer cultures, did not affect the cell-associated matrix. Where the chondrocytes had been cultured in gelled agarose, flow cytometry allowed quantification of the percentages of chondrocytes maintaining or reexpressing their original phenotype. The agarase digestion procedure used to isolate the cells from the agarose gel did not affect the plasma membrane-associated extracellular matrix antigens. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometry allows quantification of cells expressing aggrecan, type II and I collagen in their cell-associated extracellular matrix. A continuously increasing number of specific monoclonal antibodies will broaden the range of applications offered by this method.     

骨关节炎软骨细胞凋亡调控基因的研究

目的　比较分析正常人及老年性骨关节炎患者软骨细胞bax和bcl 2的表达及细胞凋亡状况。　方法　取 9例骨关节炎患者的关节软骨做实验标本 ,以 6例无骨关节炎病史的意外死亡者关节软骨作为正常对照 ;采用逆转录 /聚合酶链反应 (RT PCR)方法检测bax和bcl 2mRNA表达 ,免疫组化检测bax和bcl 2蛋白 ;应用TUNEL方法进行凋亡细胞原位检测。　结果　骨关节炎患者和正常对照软骨细胞都能表达bax和bcl 2mRNA ;骨关节炎关节软骨细胞baxmRNA表达量较正常对照显著增高 (P <0 0 1) ,bcl 2mRNA表达量也高于正常对照组 (P <0 0 5 ) ,两组间bax/bcl 2表达量的比值差异无显著性意义 (P >0 0 5 ) ;免疫组化可检测到相应表达水平的蛋白 ;骨关节炎软骨细胞凋亡 (4%～ 14% )多于正常对照 (0～ 2 % )。　结论　软骨细胞凋亡受bax和bcl 2共同调节 ;bax和bcl 2的共同调节结果可能是OA患者软骨细胞凋亡增加 ,但凋亡率不高、病理过程进展缓慢的一个重要的原因     

Homeostasis of the extracellular matrix of normal and osteoarthritic human articular cartilage chondrocytes in vitro

OBJECTIVE: In normal articular cartilage cells, the IGFRI/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) autocrine pathway was shown to overrule the catabolic effects of the IL-1/IL-1RI pathway by up-regulation of the IL-1RII decoy receptor. The activity of the IGF-1/IGFR1 and IL-1/IL-1R pathways, and of the IL-1RII control mechanism in the synthesis and turnover of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by chondrocytes from normal and osteoarthritic (OA) articular cartilage was compared in order to identify possible therapeutic targets of this disease. METHODS: Phenotypically stable human articular cartilage cells were obtained from normal and OA cartilage of the same knee showing focal OA. The cells were cultured in alginate beads over 1 week to re-establish the intracellular cytokine and growth factors, to reexpress the respective plasma membrane receptors and to reach equilibrium in accumulated cell-associated matrix (CAM) compounds. Following liberation of the cells from the alginate beads, the levels of cell-associated matrix (CAM) aggrecan, type II collagen and fibronectin, of intracellular IGF-1, IL-1alpha and beta and of their respective plasma membrane-bound receptors, IGFR1, IL-1RI and the decoy receptor IL-1RII, were assayed using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Coordinated production and accumulation of CAM aggrecan and type II collagen under the effect of the IGFR1/IGF-1 autocrine pathway-as documented for chondrocytes from healthy controls-was absent when the chondrocytes had been obtained from OA joints. When compared with cells obtained from normal tissues, chondrocytes from fibrillated OA cartilage expressed significantly higher intracellular IGF-1 levels and plasma membrane-bound IGFR1. At the same time, significantly higher intracellular IL-1alpha and beta levels and upregulated plasma membrane-bound IL-1RI were observed. Plasma membrane-bound IL-1RII decoy receptor was downregulated in OA chondrocytes. The levels of CAM aggrecan, type II collagen and fibronectin were significantly reduced in the chondrocytes obtained from pathological tissue. CONCLUSION: Paired analysis of normal and OA chondrocytes from the same knee joint has shown an enhanced capacity of chondrocytes from OA cartilage to produce ECM macromolecules. However, the same cells have increased catabolic signalling pathways. As a consequence of this increased IL-1 activity and the reduced amounts of IL-1RII decoy receptor, less of the produced ECM macromolecules may persist in the CAM of the OA chondrocytes.     

重组腺病毒介导外源性SOX9在正常关节软骨细胞中诱导软骨基质合成的体外表达

背景：关节软骨损害是临床一种常见的损伤,软骨形成转录因子SOX9是一种调控Ⅱ型胶原合成的关键因子。 目的：观察以表达外源性SOX9的腺病毒体外成功感染关节软骨细胞后对Ⅱ型胶原和蛋白聚糖（Aggrecan）合成的影响,探讨软骨损伤后修复软骨缺损的基因治疗方法。 方法：体外构建腺病毒载体AdSOX9和AdGFP,成功感染培养的人关节软骨细胞,分别以逆转录聚合酶链式反应（RT-PCR）技术检测了病毒感染前后SOX9、II型胶原和蛋白聚糖基因mRNA的表达,同时以免疫组化技术检测了病毒感染前后关节软骨细胞中Ⅱ型胶原的表达。 结果：应用AdEasy腺病毒构建专利技术体外成功构建了能高效表达外源性SOX9的腺病毒AdSOX9和只表达绿色荧光蛋白GFP的腺病毒AdGFP;以腺病毒AdSOX9和AdGFP体外成功感染人关节软骨细胞后48h,未感染对照组和AdGFP感染组,均检测到了Ⅱ型胶原和蛋白聚糖的表达;而AdSOX9感染组的细胞中,检测到了SOX9基因mRNA的表达明显增高,与未感染对照组和AdGFP感染组相比有显著性差异（P〈0．05）,同时,Ⅱ型胶原和蛋白聚糖的表达也较未感染对照组和AdGFP感染组明显增高,差异显著（P〈0．05）。 结论：以外源性SOX9为目的基因的腺病毒介导基因治疗方法,在促进关节软骨细胞Ⅱ型胶原和蛋白聚糖合成方面得出了初步满意的结果,SOX9可能是关节软骨缺损基因治疗研究领域一个新的理想靶点,值得继续深入研究。     

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 maintains the articular chondrocyte phenotype in long-term culture

Bone morphogenetic proteins have been shown to increase matrix synthesis by articular chondrocytes in short-term cultures. Members of this family of proteins have also been shown to induce endochondral ossification in vivo. The present study was performed to determine if the addition of human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 to a long-term monolayer articular chondrocyte cell culture system affected the ability of the chondrocytes to divide in vitro, whether the cytokine altered expression of the articular chondrocyte phenotype and synthesis of matrix proteoglycans, and whether the cytokine was capable of inducing differentiation to a hypertrophic chondrocyte. Human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 did not alter cell proliferation. It caused 3.5–6.2 times more proteoglycan synthesis by articular chondrocytes during each of the time points tested after 4 days in culture. Total proteoglycan accumulation in the extracellular matrix after 28 days in culture was 6.7 times as great in the treated cultures as in the control. Treatment with human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 maintained the articular chondrocyte phenotype of cells in culture as demonstrated by Northern blot analysis: the expression of type-I collagen genes was increased and that of type-II collagen and aggrecan mRNA was lost in untreated chondrocyte cultures after 14–21 days in culture. In contrast, exposure to 100 ng/ml human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 maintained expression of type-II collagen and increased expression of aggrecan compared with controls during the 28-day culture period. Northern blot analysis of the expression of type-X collagen and osteocalcin by chondrocytes treated with human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 showed a lack of expression of these genes, indicating no alteration in phenotype. These experiments demonstrated the ability of human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 to promote the articular chondrocyte phenotype and matrix synthesis in long-term culture. Characteristics of cell growth were not affected, and the cytokine did not induce differentiation to a hypertrophic chondrocyte.     

Periodic rewetting enhances the viability of chondrocytes in human articular cartilage exposed to air

Desiccation of articular cartilage during surgery is often unavoidable and may result in the death of chondrocytes, with subsequent joint degeneration. This study was undertaken to determine the extent of chondrocyte death caused by exposure to air and to ascertain whether regular rewetting of cartilage could decrease cell death. Macroscopically normal human cartilage was exposed to air for 0, 30, 60 or 120 minutes. Selected samples were wetted in lactated Ringer's solution for ten seconds every ten or 20 minutes. The viability of chondrocytes was measured after three days by Live/Dead staining. Chondrocyte death correlated with the length of exposure to air and the depth of the cartilage. Drying for 120 minutes caused extensive cell death mainly in the superficial 500 microm of cartilage. Rewetting every ten or 20 minutes significantly decreased cell death. The superficial zone is most susceptible to desiccation. Loss of superficial chondrocytes likely decreases the production of essential lubricating glycoproteins and contributes to subsequent degeneration. Frequent wetting of cartilage during arthrotomy is therefore essential.     

Transient expression of the diseased phenotype of osteoarthritic chondrocytes in engineered cartilage

Due to the degradation of osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage in post‐traumatic OA (PTOA), these tissues are challenging to study and manipulate in vitro. In this study, chondrocytes isolated from either PTOA (meniscal‐release (MR) model) or normal (contralateral limb) cartilage of canine knee joints were used to form micropellets to assess the maintenance of the OA chondrocyte phenotype in vitro. Media samples from the micropellet cultures were used to measure matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), chemokine, and cytokine concentrations. Significant differences in matrix synthesis were observed as a function of disease with OA chondrocytes generally synthesizing more extracellular matrix with increasing time in culture. No donor dependent differences were detected. Luminex multiplex analysis of pellet culture media showed disease and time‐dependent differences in interleukin (IL)‐8, keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC)‐like protein, MMP‐1, MMP‐2, and MMP‐3, which are differentially expressed in OA. This memory of their diseased phenotype persists for the first 2 weeks of culture. These results demonstrate the potential to use chondrocytes from an animal model of OA to study phenotype alterations during the progression and treatment of OA. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:829–836, 2017.

     

Stimulation of proteoglycan production by glucosamine sulfate in chondrocytes isolated from human osteoarthritic articular cartilage in vitro

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the in-vitro effects of a crystalline glucosamine sulfate (GS) preparation on DNA synthesis and on proteoglycan (PG) and type II collagen (coll II) production by human articular chondrocytes isolated from human osteoarthritic articular cartilage in a 3-dimensional culture system for 4, 8, and 12 days. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human articular chondrocytes from osteoarthritic femoral heads were isolated from their matrix by collagenase digestion and then cultured in suspension. Under constant agitation, cells aggregated and formed a cluster within a few days. The effects of GS (1-100 micrograms/ml) on chondrocytes were determined by quantifying DNA synthesis (by measurement of [3H]-thymidine uptake) as well as PG and coll II production using radiommunoassays (RIAs) specific for coll II and to human human cartilage PG. Cross-reaction with GS in the RIAs was not detected. Moreover, PG size distribution was determined by exclusion chromatography under associative conditions to determine the association of PG monomers with hyaluronic acid (HA) to form large molecular weight PG aggregates. RESULTS: Under the above conditions, PG production in culture media and chondrocyte clusters was increased by GS (10-100 micrograms/ml). DNA synthesis and coll II production were not modified by GS. In addition, GS did not modify the physico-chemical form of PG produced by cells during culture. CONCLUSIONS: Glucosamine sulfate did not affect DNA synthesis nor coll II production but caused a statistically significant stimulation of PG production by chondrocytes from human osteoarthritic cartilage cultured for up to 12 days in 3-dimensional cultures.     

Expression of vitamin D receptors and matrix metalloproteinases in osteoarthritic cartilage and human articular chondrocytes in vitro

OBJECTIVES: To examine the in situ distributions of vitamin D receptors (VDR) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in osteoarthritic cartilage for comparison with non-arthritic, normal cartilage; and to assess the in vitro effects of 1alpha,25 dihydroxyvitaminD(3)(1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)) on MMPs-1, -3 and -9 and prostaglandin E(2)(PGE(2)) production by cultures of human articular chondrocytes (HAC) shown to be VDR-positive. METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry VDR expression in different specimens of osteoarthritic cartilage (N=11) was compared to that in normal cartilage (N=6), along with the immunodetection of MMPs-1, -3 and -9. The effects of 1alpha25(OH)(2)D(3)on MMP and PGE(2)production by HAC in vitro, with and without stimulation by TNFalpha or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), was evaluated using ELISA methodology. RESULTS: VDR was demonstrated in HAC of all specimens of osteoarthritic cartilage, especially the superficial zone, whereas only two of five normal cartilage specimens were VDR(+)for a minor proportion of HAC. Immunolocalization of MMPs-1, -3 and -9 was often seen in areas where chondrocytes were VDR(+), and dual immunolocalization has demonstrated individual chondrocytes positive for both VDR and MMP-3 in situ. In vitro, 1alpha25(OH)(2)D(3)alone had no effect on MMP-1, -9 and PGE(2)production by HAC, but MMP-3 production was up-regulated by 1alpha25(OH)(2)D(3)either with or without stimulation with TNFalpha or PMA. By contrast the increased production of MMP-9 and PGE(2)induced by PMA was significantly suppressed by concomitant treatment with 1alpha25(OH)(2)D(3). CONCLUSIONS: The demonstration of VDR expression by HAC in osteoarthritic cartilage was often associated with sites where MMP expression was prevalent, observations in contrast to their virtual absence in normal age-matched cartilage. Together with HAC in vitro studies, the data suggests that 1alpha25(OH)(2)D(3)contributes to the regulation of MMP and PGE(2)production by HAC in osteoarthritic cartilage.     

白细胞介素-1受体拮抗蛋白和白细胞介素-10联合基因转染人骨关节炎软骨细胞的研究

目的探讨逆转录病毒载体PLXRN介导的人白细胞介素-1受体拮抗蛋白（hIL-1Ra）和白细胞介素-10（hlL-10）联合基因转染在人骨关节炎（OA）关节软骨细胞中稳定表达的可行性。方法构建含目的基因的表达载体PLXRN-IL-1Ra和PLXRN—IL-10，经酶切及测序鉴定正确后单个或联合转染人OA软骨细胞，逆转录-聚合酶链反应（RT—PCR）检测细胞内目的基因的表达；酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）检测细胞培养上清液中hlL-1Ra和hlL-10蛋白表达量的水平。结果酶切和测序表明获得了与预期结果一致的PLXRN—IL—IRa和PLXRN—IL-10真核表达载体。稳定转染软骨细胞后，RT-PCR检测到了细胞内hIL-1Ra和hIL-10mRNA片段。ELISA检测发现基因转染组均有相应的一定量的hlL．1Ra和hIL-10表达，单个基因转染组中分别为（60．47±15．13）和（19．73±4．10）ng／L；联合基因转染组为（67．15±11．47）和（16．76±9．96）ng／L。未转染组及PLXRN空质粒转染组均无hIL—IRa和hlL-10表达，基因转染组与对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），而单个基因转染组和联合基因转染组组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论逆转录病毒载体PLXRN介导的hlL-1Ra和hlL-10联合基因可有效地感染人OA关节软骨细胞并获得稳定表达，为将表达hIL-IRa和hlL-10目的基因的人OA软骨细胞用于OA基因治疗提供了依据。     

Expression of a stable articular cartilage phenotype without evidence of hypertrophy by adult human articular chondrocytes in vitro

Chondrocytes that were isolated from adult human articular cartilage changed phenotype during monolayer tissue culture, as characterized by a fibroblastic morphology and cellular proliferation. Increased proliferation was accompanied by downregulation of the cartilage-specific extracellular matrix proteoglycan, aggrecan, by cessation of type-II collagen expression, and by upregulation of type-I collagen and versican. This phenomenon observed in monolayer was reversible after the transfer of cells to a suspension culture system. The transfer of chondrocytes to suspension culture in alginate beads resulted in the rapid upregulation of aggrecan and type-II collagen and the downregulation of expression of versican and type-I collagen. Type-X collagen and osteopontin, markers of chondrocyte hypertrophy and commitment to endochondral ossification, were not expressed by adult articular chondrocytes cultured in alginate, even after 5 months. In contrast, type-X collagen was expressed within 2 weeks in a population of cells derived from a fetal growth plate. The inability of adult articular chondrocytes to express markers of chondrocyte hypertrophy has underscored the fundamental distinction between the differentiation pathways that lead to articular cartilage or to bone. Adult articular chondrocytes expressed only hyaline articular cartilage markers without evidence of hypertrophy.