CHONDROCYTES AND ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS

Effects of antirheumatic drugs upon cartilage matrix metabolism have b een studied in a variety of chondrocyte in vitro systems. When compare d longterm in 60 experiments under standardized conditions, articular chondrocytes cultured in agarose exhibit variability in proteoglycan s ynthesis, and its suppression by interleukin 1 (IL-1), but a high repr oducibility in the modulation of these effects by antirheumatic drugs. Pentosan polysulfate, tenidap, tiaprofenic acid, and RO 31-9790 all c ompensated to a certain extent the IL-1 induced suppression of matrix synthesis in bovine chondrocytes, but only for tiaprofenic acid could this be confirmed using chondrocytes of human origin. Culture conditio ns as well as species differences should therefore be considered caref ully when chondrocyte cultures are used as pharmacological models.