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Undersulfated Chondroitin Sulfate Does Not Increase in Osteoarthritic Cartilage
MIKKO J. LAMMI, CHENG-JUAN QU, MIKKO S. LAASANEN, SIMO SAARAKKALA, JARNO RIEPPO, JUKKA S. JURVELIN, and JUHA TÖYRÄS
ABSTRACT. Methods. Cartilage samples from bovine patellae (n = 32) were divided into 3 groups based on their osteoarthritic progression, as assessed by modified Mankin score. Uronic acid contents of the samples were determined. Fragmentation of the proteoglycans due to proteolytic processing was estimated with agarose gel electrophoresis. The molar ratios of chondroitin sulfate isoforms in the extracted proteoglycans were determined with fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis. Results. Loss of proteoglycans and accumulation of tissue water was evident in groups II and III, and progressive OA increased heterogeneity of aggrecan population in groups II and III. Importantly, the molar ratio of nonsulfated disaccharide was decreased in the osteoarthritic articular cartilage. Conclusion. The structure of chondroitin sulfate in degenerated bovine cartilage did not support the hypothesis that sulfate depletion is present in osteoarthritic joint. (J Rheumatol 2004;31:2449-53) Key Indexing Terms:
OSTEOARTHRITIS
From the Departments of Anatomy and Applied Physics, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. Supported by University of Kuopio, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. M.J. Lammi, PhD; C-J. Qu, MD; J. Rieppo, BMed, Department of Anatomy; M.S. Laasanen, PhD; S. Saarakkala, BSc; J.S. Jurvelin, PhD; J. Töyräs, PhD, Department of Applied Physics, University of Kuopio. Address reprint requests to M.J. Lammi, Department of Anatomy, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland. E-mail: mikko.lammi@uku.fi Submitted September 29, 2003; revision accepted June 1, 2004. |