The 45?kDa collagen-binding fragment of fibronectin induces matrix metalloproteinase-13 synthesis by chondrocytes and aggrecan degradation by aggrecanases

摘要

pFragments of fibronectin occur naturally iin vivo/i and are increased in the synovial fluid of arthritis patients. We have studied the 45kDa fragment (Fn-f 45), representing the N-terminal collagen-binding domain of fibronectin, for its ability to modulate the expression of metalloproteinases by porcine articular chondrocytes iin vitro/i. We report that stimulation of cultured chondrocytes, or cartilage explants, with Fn-f 45 increased the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13; collagenase-3) released into the conditioned medium in a dose-dependent manner. Increased levels of MMP-13 were due to stimulation of MMP-13 synthesis, rather than release of MMP-13 from accumulated matrix stores. Fn-f 45 also stimulated the synthesis of MMP-3 (stromelysin-1) from cultured chondrocytes and cartilage cultures. The Fn-f 45-induced increase in MMP-3 and MMP-13 synthesis occurred via an interleukin 1-independent mechanism, since the receptor antagonist of interleukin-1 was unable to block the increased synthesis. The gelatinases, MMP-2 and MMP-9, were not modulated by Fn-f 45 in these culture systems. Fn-f 45 also stimulated the release of aggrecan from cartilage explants into conditioned medium. Neoepitope antibodies specific for aggrecan fragments generated by MMPs or aggrecanases showed that the Fn-f 45-induced aggrecan loss was mediated by aggrecanases, and not by MMPs. Extracts of cultured cartilage contained elevated levels of the aggrecanase-derived ITEGEsup373/sup-G1 domain, whereas levels of the matrix metalloproteinase-derived DIPENsup341/sup-G1 domain were unchanged. These studies show that Fn-f 45 can induce a catabolic phenotype in articular chondrocytes by up-regulating the expression of metalloproteinases specific for the degradation of collagen and aggrecan./p