Articular cartilage and changes in arthritis - Matrix degradation

While many proteases in articular cartilage have been described, current st udies indicate that members of two families of metalloproteases - MMPs and the ADAMTSs - are responsible for the degradation of the major components o f this tissue. Collagenases (MMPs) make the first cleavage in triple-helica l collagen, allowing its further degradation by other proteases. Aggrecanas es (ADAMTSs), in conjunction with other MMPs, degrade aggrecan, a component of the proteoglycan aggregate. Anti-neoepitope antibodies that recognize t he cleavage products of collagen and aggrecan generated by these enzymes ar e now available and are being used to detect the sites of action and to qua ntitate degradation products.