Human osteoarthritic knee cartilage: fingerprinting of adhesion/growth-regulatory galectins in vitro and in situ indicates differential upregulation in severe degeneration

Histochem Cell Biol. 2014 Oct;142(4):373-88. doi: 10.1007/s00418-014-1234-x. Epub 2014 Jul 1.

Abstract

The apparent connection of galectin-3 to chondrocyte survival and osteoarthritis-like cartilage modifications in animal models provided incentive for the mapping of seven members of this family of adhesion/growth-regulatory proteins in human cartilage specimens. Starting with work in vitro, RT-qPCR analyses and immunocytochemistry revealed gene transcription and protein presence in cultured OA chondrocytes, especially for galectin-1, galectin-3 and galectin-8. Immunohistochemistry in clinical specimens with mild and severe cartilage degeneration detected galectins in chondrocytes-with upregulation, especially of galectin-1 in areas of severe degeneration-accompanied by α2,6-sialylation in the pericellular matrix. Given the possibility for additive/antagonistic activities between galectins, these results direct further research toward examining cellular effects of (1) these proteins (alone or in combination) on chondrocytes and (2) remodeling of the chondrocyte glycophenotype.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Cartilage, Articular / metabolism*
  • Cartilage, Articular / pathology
  • Child
  • Chondrocytes / metabolism
  • Chondrocytes / pathology
  • Female
  • Galectins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Knee Joint / metabolism*
  • Knee Joint / pathology
  • Male
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / diagnosis
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / metabolism*
  • Osteosarcoma / diagnosis
  • Osteosarcoma / metabolism*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Up-Regulation*

Substances

  • Galectins