Yonezawa I, Kato K, Yagita H, Yamauchi Y, Okumura K
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1996 Feb 6;219(1):261-5. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1996.0215.
Adhesion molecules of the integrin family, including very late activation antigens (VLA), have been implicated in various cellular functions. In this study, we investigated the contribution of integrin-mediated interaction with ECM proteins to the cytokine gene expression in human chondrocytes. Human articular chondrocytes expressed VLA-1, -2, -3 and -5 on the cell surface, and could adhere to various ECM proteins, especially to fibronectin (FN). Furthermore, the production of GM-CSF and IL-6 was potently induced by culturing chondrocytes on immobilized FN. This stimulative effect of FN was completely inhibited by an anti-integrin alpha 5 chain mAb, as well as by anti-integrin beta 1 chain mAbs. These results indicate an important role of the VLA-5-mediated interaction with FN in regulating inflammatory cytokine production by human articular chondrocytes.
