Tat Steeve Kwan, Pelletier Jean-Pierre, Vergés Josep, Lajeunesse Daniel, Montell Eulàlia, Fahmi Hassan, Lavigne Martin, Martel-Pelletier Johanne
Osteoarthritis Research Unit, University of Montreal Hospital Centre, Notre-Dame Hospital, 1560 rue Sherbrooke Est, Montreal, Quebec H2L 4M1, Canada.
Arthritis Res Ther. 2007;9(6):R117. doi: 10.1186/ar2325.
Early in the pathological process of osteoarthritis (OA), subchondral bone remodelling, which is related to altered osteoblast metabolism, takes place. In the present study, we explored in human OA subchondral bone whether chondroitin sulfate (CS), glucosamine sulfate (GS), or both together affect the major bone biomarkers, osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL), and the pro-resorptive activity of OA osteoblasts. The effect of CS (200 mug/mL), GS (50 and 200 mug/mL), or both together on human OA subchondral bone osteoblasts, in the presence or absence of 1,25(OH)2D3 (vitamin D3) (50 nM), was determined on the bone biomarkers alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin, on the expression (mRNA) and production (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) of bone remodelling factors OPG and RANKL, and on the pro-resorptive activity of these cells. For the latter experiments, human OA osteoblasts were incubated with differentiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells on a sub-micron synthetic calcium phosphate thin film. Data showed that CS and GS affected neither basal nor vitamin D3-induced alkaline phosphatase or osteocalcin release. Interestingly, OPG expression and production under basal conditions or vitamin D3 treatment were upregulated by CS and by both CS and GS incubated together. Under basal conditions, RANKL expression was significantly reduced by CS and by both drugs incubated together. Under vitamin D3, these drugs also showed a decrease in RANKL level, which, however, did not reach statistical significance. Importantly, under basal conditions, CS and both compounds combined significantly upregulated the expression ratio of OPG/RANKL. Vitamin D3 decreased this ratio, and GS further decreased it. Both drugs reduced the resorption activity, and statistical significance was reached for GS and when CS and GS were incubated together. Our data indicate that CS and GS do not overly affect cell integrity or bone biomarkers. Yet CS and both compounds together increase the expression ratio of OPG/RANKL, suggesting a positive effect on OA subchondral bone structural changes. This was confirmed by the decreased resorptive activity for the combination of CS and GS. These data are of major significance and may help to explain how these two drugs exert a positive effect on OA pathophysiology.
在骨关节炎(OA)的病理过程早期,会发生与成骨细胞代谢改变相关的软骨下骨重塑。在本研究中,我们探讨了硫酸软骨素(CS)、硫酸氨基葡萄糖(GS)或二者共同作用是否会影响人类OA软骨下骨中的主要骨生物标志物、骨保护素(OPG)、核因子-κB受体激活剂配体(RANKL)以及OA成骨细胞的促吸收活性。在存在或不存在1,25(OH)₂D₃(维生素D₃)(50 nM)的情况下,测定了CS(200 μg/mL)、GS(50和200 μg/mL)或二者共同作用对人类OA软骨下骨成骨细胞的影响,包括骨生物标志物碱性磷酸酶和骨钙素、骨重塑因子OPG和RANKL的表达(mRNA)及产生(酶联免疫吸附测定),以及这些细胞的促吸收活性。对于后一组实验,将人类OA成骨细胞与分化的外周血单核细胞在亚微米合成磷酸钙薄膜上共同孵育。数据显示,CS和GS既不影响基础状态下的,也不影响维生素D₃诱导的碱性磷酸酶或骨钙素释放。有趣的是,在基础条件下或维生素D₃处理时,CS以及CS和GS共同孵育均上调了OPG的表达和产生。在基础条件下,CS以及两种药物共同孵育均显著降低了RANKL的表达。在维生素D₃存在时,这些药物也使RANKL水平降低,不过未达到统计学显著性。重要的是,在基础条件下,CS以及两种化合物组合均显著上调了OPG/RANKL的表达比值。维生素D₃降低了该比值,GS进一步降低了该比值。两种药物均降低了吸收活性,GS以及CS和GS共同孵育时达到了统计学显著性。我们的数据表明,CS和GS不会过度影响细胞完整性或骨生物标志物。然而,CS以及两种化合物共同作用提高了OPG/RANKL的表达比值,表明对OA软骨下骨结构变化有积极作用。CS和GS组合导致的吸收活性降低证实了这一点。这些数据具有重要意义,可能有助于解释这两种药物如何对OA病理生理学产生积极作用。