Sulfation pattern of chondroitin sulfate in human osteoarthritis cartilages reveals a lower level of chondroitin-4-sulfate

• Chondroitin sulfates (CS) account for more than 80% of glycosaminoglycans of articular cartilage, which imparts its physiological functions. We quantified the absolute concentration of the CS components of the full thickness cartilages from the knees of patients with terminal-phase osteoarthritis. Osteochondrol biopsies were removed from the medial femoral condyle and lateral femoral condyle of sixty female patients receiving total knee arthroplasty, aged from 58 to 83 years old. We found that total CS concentrations and chondroitin-4-sulfate disaccharide were significantly lowered in osteoarthritic samples. Microstructure analysis indicated that while chondroitin-0-sulfate was equally distributed across different zones of the osteoarthritic cartilages, chondroitin-4-sulfate is significantly less in the deep zones. Down-regulation of sulfotransferases, the enzymes responsible for CS sulfation in the lesion site of cartilage were observed. Our study suggested chondroitin-4-sulfate down-regulation may be a diagnostic marker for degraded osteoarthritis cartilage, with potential implications in cartilage regeneration.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Farmaceutiska vetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Pharmaceutical Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Analytisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Analytical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Chondroitin sulfate

Sulfotransferase

Sulfatase

Osteoarthritis

Adult cartilage

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)