Rh. Ostendorf et al., INTERMITTENT LOADING INDUCES THE EXPRESSION OF 3-B-3(-) EPITOPE IN CULTURED BOVINE ARTICULAR-CARTILAGE, Journal of rheumatology, 21(2), 1994, pp. 287-292
Objective. To study the effects of intermittent loading on the proteog
lycans synthesized in intact cultured articular cartilage. Methods. Se
samoid bones carrying articular cartilage were subjected to cyclic loa
ding in vitro for one week. A new procedure to fix and decalcify the t
issue was developed and an immunohistochemical analysis of the express
ion of 3-B-3(-) epitope in the articular cartilage was carried out. Th
e proteoglycans synthesized were quantified and studied using CL-2B ch
romatography. Results. Loading induced an increase in the synthesis of
aggrecan molecules, which were larger and less polydisperse than thos
e from control cartilage. Loading also induced the expression of 3-B-3
(-) epitopes on newly synthesized proteoglycans. Conclusion. These cha
nges are similar to those found in early experimental and human osteoa
rthritis (OA). More variables must be studied, but our results suggest
that our model might be suitable to study early events in the onset o
f OA.