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Publications (7)15.26 Total impact

  • Article: Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor is anabolic and interleukin-1beta is catabolic for rat articular chondrocytes.
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    ABSTRACT: To study the effects of GM-CSF and IL-1beta, both implicated in tissue damage in arthritis, on articular chondrocyte proliferation and metabolism, and to explore their agonist/antagonist effects. Chondrocytes were obtained from 1-month-old rats. First-passage monolayers were incubated for 24 h with or without GM-CSF and/or IL-1beta, and labeled with 3H-thymidine, 35S-SO4 and 14C-proline. Proteoglycan and collagen synthesis were analyzed by liquid chromatography and SDS-PAGE. Gene expression was measured by RT-PCR. Results: IL-1beta exerts potent, and GM-CSF weak, inhibitory effects on DNA synthesis. GM-CSF strongly stimulates, and IL-1beta inhibits, proteoglycan and collagen synthesis. IL-1beta suppresses the effect of GM-CSF, and increases the release of radioactive molecules from pre-labeled cartilage fragments; GM-CSF decreases the IL-1beta-induced effect. Interestingly, both cytokines induce the expression of each other's gene. IL-1beta appears to be a catabolic and anti-anabolic agent for chondrocytes, whereas GM-CSF is mainly anabolic, and blocks the IL-1beta-induced catabolic effect. It is postulated that both agents are implicated in inflammation: IL-1beta promotes tissue catabolism and destruction, whereas GM-CSF enhances tissue reconstruction.
    Cytokine 12/2008; 44(3):366-72. · 3.02 Impact Factor
  • Article: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha down-regulates human Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 promoter via JNK/AP-1 signaling pathway.
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    ABSTRACT: Overexpression of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in monocytes blocks reactive oxygen species-induced inhibition of cell growth and apoptosis and renders cells resistant to the toxic effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, suggesting that TNF-alpha represses the SOD1 gene in these cells. We herein show that TNF-alpha decreases SOD1 mRNA, protein, and promoter activity in U937 cells. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays (EMSA) show that TNF-alpha decreased binding of three different complexes. Ectopic Sp1 overexpression markedly increased SOD1-basal promoter activity and partially antagonized the TNF-alpha inhibitory effect. In contrast, ectopic c-Jun overexpression mimics TNF-alpha inhibitory effects and antagonizes Sp1 stimulatory effects. In agreement with these findings, EMSA shows a TNF-alpha-induced increase in AP-1 and a decrease in Sp1 DNA binding. Disruption of the C/EBP site decreases, whereas mutation in the Sp1/Egr-1 site completely abolishes DNA-binding and promoter activity. A JNK inhibitor antagonized the negative effects of TNF-alpha on SOD1 promoter activity, suggesting that JNK signaling through c-Jun protein activation is critical for the TNF-alpha-dependent SOD1 repression. A greater understanding of the mechanisms of TNF-alpha-induced SOD1 repression could facilitate the design and development of novel therapeutic drugs for inflammatory conditions.
    Free Radical Biology and Medicine 10/2006; 41(5):709-21. · 5.42 Impact Factor
  • Article: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) promotes MMP-2 and MMP-9 induction involving the transcription factor NF-kappaB in human osteosarcoma.
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    ABSTRACT: In the present study, we have investigated the effect of (i) ET-1 (endothelin-1) and its precursor, big ET-1, on MMP (matrix metalloproteinase)-2 and MMP-9 synthesis and activity in osteosarcoma tissue, and (ii) ET-1 receptor antagonists on cell invasion. Using Western blotting, zymography, RT-PCR (reverse transcription-PCR), immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Northern blotting, we have shown that ET-1 and ET-1 receptors (ET(A) and ET(B)) were expressed in these cells. Additionally, we have demonstrated that ET-1 markedly induced the synthesis and activity of MMP-2, which was significantly increased when compared with MMP-9. Furthermore, inhibition of NF-kappaB (nuclear factor kappaB) activation blocked MMP-2 production and activity, indicating the involvement of NF-kappaB, a ubiquitous transcription factor playing a central role in the differentiation, proliferation and malignant transformation. Since ET-1 acts as an autocrine mediator through gelatinase induction and because inhibition of ET(A) receptor is beneficial for reducing both basal and ET-1-induced osteosarcoma cell invasion, targeting this receptor could be an attractive therapeutic alternative for the successful treatment of osteosarcoma.
    Clinical Science 07/2006; 110(6):645-54. · 4.61 Impact Factor
  • Article: Method for selecting populations of rat articular chondrocytes that exhibit distinct growth and metabolic characteristics, and their responses to growth factors, PMA and vitamin D3.
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    ABSTRACT: Chondrocytes were released from articular cartilage fragments of 6-week-old Wistar rats by a 2-hour treatment with bacterial collagenase. The cells from one animal were seeded in a 25-cm2 culture flask at a density of 10(5) cells/cm2. After 1 h, the flask was gently shaken and the medium, containing nonadherent cells, was transferred to a new flask. The attached cells were incubated with 5 ml of fresh medium. This procedure was repeated after 3, 24, 48 and 96 h. Resulting cell populations were then analyzed. The earlier cells attached, the more rapidly they proliferated, and the less collagen and proteoglycan (PG) they produced. The cells that attached after 24 h grew much more slowly, piled up in many areas, exhibited strong alkaline phosphatase activity and calcified extracellular matrix (ECM). Differences in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein/PG synthesis were also observed when these cell populations were challenged with growth factors and 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Pretreatment of cells for 2 h with PMA strongly enhanced DNA and PG synthesis only in cultures containing insulin-like growth factor-1. Nonselected rat articular chondrocytes (AC) subcultured at least four times as monolayers still expressed mRNA specific for aggrecan and type II collagen, suggesting conservation of the chondrogenic phenotype. In conclusion, AC of young individuals seem to be heterogeneous with respect to their capacity to proliferate and synthesize ECM. By selecting and expanding in vitro the appropriate cell population, this method could be potentially useful for studies aimed at repairing damaged cartilage.
    Cells Tissues Organs 02/2004; 177(4):201-11. · 2.20 Impact Factor
  • Article: The Mechanism of Inhibition of DNA Synthesis in Articular Chondrocytes from Young and Old Rats by Nitric Oxide
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    ABSTRACT: The mechanism by which nitric oxide inhibits the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into rat articular chondrocytes (AC) in culture was studied. First-passage articular chondrocytes, isolated by collagenase digestion of cartilage fragments from humeral and femoral heads of 1- and 18-month-old rats, were used in all experiments. NO-generating compounds, isosorbide dinitrate or sodium nitoprusside, inhibited the incorporation of [3H]thymidine and the release of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) and stimulated cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production by rat AC monolayers in a concentration-dependent manner. The cells from old rats were much less sensitive to NO donors and also produced less PGE2and cGMP. Blocking the production of endogenous NO withNG-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMA), an inhibitor of NO synthase, stimulated DNA synthesis. cGMP was found to be a key mediator of the inhibition of DNA synthesis by NO donors in rat AC. 6-Anilino-5,8-quinolinedione (LY83583), an inhibitor of NO-dependent cGMP release, stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation, whereas the cGMP analog, 8- bromo-cGMP, inhibitedl-NMA-induced or LY83583-induced stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation. NO donors blocked the stimulation of DNA synthesis induced byl-NMA and only marginally blocked that of LY83583. Indomethacin had no effect on the inhibition of DNA synthesis by NO or 8-bromo-cGMP. These results show that NO donors induce inhibition of DNA synthesis probably by elevating cGMP. The relative insensitivity of senescent cells to NO donors may be due, at least in part, to their decreased capacity to produce cGMP.
    Nitric Oxide.
  • Article: Endothelin-1 receptors on cultured rat articular chondrocytes: regulation by age, growth factors, and cytokines, and effect on cAMP production
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    ABSTRACT: The presence of endothelin-1 receptor proteins and the expression of their specific mRNAs were studied using 1st passage confluent monolayers of articular chondrocytes, isolated from 1-month and 18-month-old rats following 24-h incubation with several growth factors and cytokines. The ET-1- binding sites were predominantly of ETA subtype since BQ123, but not IRL1038 (ETB receptor subtype agonist), effectively blocked 125I-ET-1 binding. The 18-month-old rat cell monolayers bear approximately twice as many 125I-ET-1-binding sites as the 1-month-old rat cells. PDGF, EGF, and IGF-1 increased the number of binding sites in a concentration-dependent manner in both old and young rat cells with PDGF being the most active and EGF more active than IGF-1. IL-1β, more potently than LPS, increased the number of binding sites in young rat cells only, whereas b-FGF, TGF-β and GM-CSF had no effect or decreased slightly 125I-ET-1 binding in both types of cells. TNF-α strongly decreased the number of binding sites on both young and old rat cells, only. RT-PCR showed an increased expression of the specific ETA mRNA with the age of animals and in the presence of 50 ng/ml PDGF BB only. The incubation of the cells with ETs 1–3 for 10 min resulted in a 50% decrease of cellular cAMP but the blocking of the receptors with BQ123 prior to their exposure to ETs had no effect on cAMP production whereas IRL1038 counteracted this effect only marginally. This suggests a receptor-independent mechanism for ETs-induced inhibition of cAMP production. However, a 10-min co-incubation of cells with ET-1 and with one of the following agents: cholera toxin, pertussis toxin, indomethacin, l-NMA, U73122 and calphostin resulted in an almost complete (calphostin) or partial suppression of ET-1-induced inhibition of cAMP production. The significance of these findings is unclear but the increased density of ET-1 binding sites on old rat cells and its regulation by certain growth factors or cytokines suggest the involvement of ET-1 in aging and possibly in age-related diseases.
    Mechanisms of Ageing and Development.
  • Article: Articular chondrocytes from aging rats respond poorly to insulin-like growth factor-1: an altered signaling pathway
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    ABSTRACT: This study investigates the effect of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and phorbol 12-myrystate 13-acetate (PMA) on 3H-thymidine, 35SO4 and 3H -glycine incorporations, adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) production and protein kinase C (PKC) activation in cultured rat articular chondrocyte monolayers (RACM) derived from animals of different ages. It was found that IGF-1 stimulates all these cellular functions in cultures derived from all age groups in a concentration dependent manner, although the cells from 14-month old animals responded poorly. IGF-1 also induces in cells from 1-month old rats an increase in the expression of mRNAs specific for aggrecan and type II collagen molecules as shown with RT-PCR. These effects are mediated via IGF-1 interaction with specific receptors because the monoclonal antibody against the receptor protein suppresses more than 60% of the ligand-induced DNA synthesis. PMA, a direct PKC activator, potentiated IGF-1-induced effects in all cells but much more strongly in cells from young than in cells from 14-month old animals. The age-related failure of RACM to respond adequately to IGF-1 was correlated with a decrease in IGF-1-induced cAMP production, and IGF-1-induced and PMA-induced PKC activations. These results show that IGF-1 regulates the synthesis of DNA, proteoglycans (PG) and collagen II at the level of transcription and suggest that the reduced response of cell monolayers derived from 14-month old rats to IGF-1 is probably due to a failure of old cells to adequately transduce IGF-1 receptor-generated downstream signaling.
    Mechanisms of Ageing and Development.