Chronic exposure of bone morphogenetic protein-2 favors chondrogenic expression in human articular chondrocytes amplified in monolayer cultures

• Published in: Journal of cellular biochemistry Vol. 111; no. 6; pp. 1642 - 1651
• Main Authors: Claus, S., Aubert-Foucher, E., Demoor, M, Camuzeaux, B., Paumier, A., Piperno, M., Damour, O., Duterque-Coquillaud, M., Galéra, P., Mallein-Gerin, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15.12.2010
• Subjects: Aged; Autografts; autologous chondrocyte transplantation; Blotting, Western; Bone morphogenetic protein 2; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 - pharmacology; Cartilage (articular); Cartilage, Articular - cytology; Cell culture; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Cells, Cultured; Chondrocytes; Chondrocytes - cytology; Chondrocytes - drug effects; Chondrocytes - metabolism; Chronic exposure; Collagen (type II); Collagen Type II - metabolism; Connective tissues; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Knee; Macromolecules; Male; Middle Aged; Polymerase chain reaction; procollagen; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; type II collagen; Western blotting
• ISSN: 0730-2312; 1097-4644; 1097-4644
• DOI: 10.1002/jcb.22897

Articular cartilage is a specialized connective tissue containing chondrocytes embedded in a network of extracellular macromolecules such as type II collagen and presents poor capacity to self‐repair. Autologous chondrocyte transplantation (ACT) is worldwide used for treatment of focal damage to articular cartilage. However, dedifferentiation of chondrocytes occurs during the long term culture necessary for mass cell production. The aim of this study was to investigate if addition of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‐2, a strong inducer of chondrogenic expression, to human chondrocytes immediately after their isolation from cartilage, could help to maintain their chondrogenic phenotype in long‐term culture conditions. Human articular chondrocytes were cultured according to the procedure used for ACT. Real‐time PCR and Western blotting were performed to evaluate the cellular phenotype. Exogenous BMP‐2 dramatically improves the chondrogenic character of knee articular chondrocytes amplified over two passages, as assessed by the BMP‐2 stimulation on type II procollagen expression and synthesis. This study reveals that BMP‐2 could potentially serve as a therapeutic agent for supporting the chondrogenic phenotype of human articular chondrocytes expanded in the conditions generally used for ACT. J. Cell. Biochem. 111: 1642–1651, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.