ISSN:
1420-908X
Keywords:
Cartilage degradation model
;
Beige mouse
;
Proteoglycan
;
Cathepsin G
;
Elastase
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Objective and Design: Proteoglycan (GAG) and collagen are lost from cartilage juxtaposed to murine granulomatous tissue in both control and C57bg/bg (elastase deficient mice). The objective was to extract and characterise proteoglycan degrading activity within granulomas of both strains. Materials: 15 animals (female C57bl/6 and C57bg/bg mice) per group were used. Treatment: Cotton-wrapped rat femoral head cartilages were implanted subcutaneously into the dorsum of the mice and the granulomas excised fourteen days later. Methods: Granuloma and granuloma cell-granule preparations were fractionated within a detergent-based buffer and tested for their abilities to degrade cartilage in vitro in the presence and absence of enzyme inhibitors. Elastase and cathepsin G activities were also assessed using specific substrates. Statistical significance was calculated using Student's t-test. Results: Extracts from both strains induced the loss of cartilage GAG. This was correlated with cathepsin G activity (r=0.96) and was inhibited by a specific cathepsin-G inhibitor (95%, p〈0.001), but not specific elastase or metalloproteinase inhibitors. Elastase activity but not that of cathepsin G was absent in the beige mice, whilst both enzymes were active in the controls. Conclusions: It appears that neutrophil cathepsin G may play an important role in the degradation of cartilage proteoglycan in the murine cotton-pellet granuloma in both C57bl/6 and C57bg/bg.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02311084
Permalink
