EXPRESSION OF MEMBERS OF A NOVEL MEMBRANE LINKED METALLOPROTEINASE FAMILY (ADAM) IN HUMAN ARTICULAR CHONDROCYTES

Using resting chondrocytes derived from human articular femoral head a nd a conditionally immortalised human articular chondrocyte cell line we have studied the expression of members of the novel metalloproteina se/disintegrin family termed ADAM. Using RT-PCR we can detect the expr ession of ADAM-12 a novel family member isolated from myeloma cells [1 ]. We also find expression of ADAM 10 a functional metalloproteinase/d isintegrin first isolated from bovine brain and ADAM-15 a metallodisin tegrin isolated from mammary derived epithelial cells. Northern blotti ng was used to confirm expression. One main transcript is visible for ADAM-12 whereas both ADAM-10 and ADAM-15 have multiple transcripts ind icating possible RNA variants potentially derived from alternative spl icing or alternative use of polyadenylation sites. Since chondrocytes are proposed as an important source of metalloproteinase enzymes invol ved in joint pathology the potential relevance of the expression of th ese molecules to connective tissue disorders is discussed. (C) 1997 Ac ademic Press