The G1 domain of aggrecan released from porcine articular cartilage forms stable complexes with hyaluronan/link protein

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 336 - 342
• Main Authors: Yasumoto, T., Bird, J. L. E., Sugimoto, K., Mason, R. M., Bayliss, M. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.02.2003; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Aggrecan; Aggrecanase; Aggrecans; Animals; Antibody Specificity; Biological and medical sciences; Cartilage; Cartilage, Articular - drug effects; Cartilage, Articular - metabolism; Culture Media, Conditioned; Culture Techniques; Endopeptidases - pharmacology; Extracellular Matrix Proteins; Glycosaminoglycans - metabolism; Hyaluronic Acid - metabolism; Immune Sera - immunology; Interleukin-1 - pharmacology; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Lectins, C-Type; Medical sciences; Metalloendopeptidases - pharmacology; Metalloproteinase; Neo‐epitopes; Osteoarticular system. Muscles; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Peptide Fragments - immunology; Phenylalanine - analogs & derivatives; Phenylalanine - pharmacology; Protease Inhibitors - pharmacology; Proteoglycans - immunology; Proteoglycans - metabolism; Rabbits; Swine; Thiophenes - pharmacology; Tretinoin - pharmacology; Cytokine; Tissue culture; Interleukin 1β; Experimental study; In vitro; Biological activity; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Treatment; Enzymatic activity; Articular cartilage; Swine; Animal; Extracellular matrix; Artiodactyla; Molecular domain; Retinoic acid; Ungulata
• ISSN: 1462-0324; 1462-0332
• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keg109

Objective. To raise peptide antibodies recognizing the C‐terminal amino acid sequence in the G1 domain of porcine aggrecan, generated by the action of either aggrecanase or neutral metalloproteinase(s), in rabbits and to use them to investigate the release of aggrecan from porcine articular cartilage. Method. An explant culture system was used to investigate the release of the G1 domain of aggrecan from porcine articular cartilage treated with retinoic acid or interleukin 1β and to study how the activity of these agents is modified by the proteinase inhibitor, batimastat (BB94). Results. Retinoic acid and interleukin 1β induced both enzyme activities and the release of the G1 domain into the culture medium. Proteinase activity was significantly reduced when the tissue was incubated in the presence of BB94. The functional properties of the enzyme‐generated G1 domain were studied using large‐pore, agarose/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and it was shown to interact with hyaluronan and link protein. Conclusions. The results show that there must be a mechanism for removing a functional G1 domain from aggrecan during tissue turnover using this culture system.