Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Enhanced expression of the human chitinase 3-like 2 gene (YKL-39) but not chitinase 3-like 1 gene (YKL-40) in osteoarthritic cartilage
Section snippets
Human samples
Osteoarthritic cartilage tissue was obtained after written consent from patients undergoing total knee or hip arthroplasty. Cartilage tissue with macroscopic evidence of degeneration was collected from the tibial plateau and classified as OA cartilage. Normal cartilage was obtained after written consent of the relatives or patients from two crime victims and patients undergoing amputation for tumor resection. The study was approved by the Local Ethics Committee.
RNA extraction
Cartilage poly(A)+-mRNA was
ECRG4 and YKL-39 gene fragments selectively amplified in OA cartilage
OA-specific gene expression was analyzed by RDA with osteoarthritic cartilage serving as tester and normal cartilage as driver. The reverse experiment (tester: normal, driver: OA) was designed as internal control. While a smear of cDNA products was evident in the starting material of both cartilage samples, a distinct band pattern of the final difference products appeared for the OA- and the normal-specific amplification after two cycles of RDA with different tester:driver ratios (Fig. 1).
Discussion
By analysis of gene expression in OA versus normal cartilage we have identified a strong and significant upregulation of YKL-39 and collagen 2 in OA and describe abundant expression of an unknown gene ECRG4 in cartilage independent of an OA status. Expression of YKL-39 and YKL-40, two mammalian members of the chitinase 3-like gene family lacking chitinase activity, has, to our knowledge, never been compared in OA versus normal cartilage. In this study, three different methodological approaches
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Regina Hess and Stephanie Kadel for excellent technical assistance and Sven Schneider for statistical support. This work was supported by a grant of the research fund of the Stiftung Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg.
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