Co-Expression and Co-Localization of Cartilage Glycoproteins CHI3L1 and Lubricin in Osteoarthritic Cartilage: Morphological, Immunohistochemical and Gene Expression Profiles
by
Marta Anna Szychlinska 1, Francesca Maria Trovato 2
, Michelino Di Rosa 3, Lucia Malaguarnera 3, Lidia Puzzo 4, Rosy Leonardi 5, Paola Castrogiovanni 1 and Giuseppe Musumeci 1,*
, Michelino Di Rosa 3, Lucia Malaguarnera 3, Lidia Puzzo 4, Rosy Leonardi 5, Paola Castrogiovanni 1 and Giuseppe Musumeci 1,*
1
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Human Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
2
Departments of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine Division, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
3
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Pathology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
4
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, Anatomic Pathology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
5
Department of Medical and Surgical Science, Section of Dentistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Charles J. Malemud
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(3), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17030359
Received: 12 December 2015 / Revised: 16 February 2016 / Accepted: 22 February 2016 / Published: 11 March 2016
(This article belongs to the Section Biochemistry)
Osteoarthritis is the most common human arthritis characterized by degeneration of articular cartilage. Several studies reported that levels of human cartilage glycoprotein chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) are known as a potential marker for the activation of chondrocytes and the progression of Osteoarthritis (OA), whereas lubricin appears to be chondroprotective. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-expression and co-localization of CHI3L1 and lubricin in normal and osteoarthritic rat articular cartilage to correlate their modified expression to a specific grade of OA. Samples of normal and osteoarthritic rat articular cartilage were analyzed by the Kellgren–Lawrence OA severity scores, the Kraus’ modified Mankin score and the Histopathology Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) system for histomorphometric evaluations, and through CHI3L1 and lubricin gene expression, immunohistochemistry and double immuno-staining analysis. The immunoexpression and the mRNA levels of lubricin increased in normal cartilage and decreased in OA cartilage (normal vs. OA, p < 0.01). By contrast, the immunoexpression and the mRNA levels of CHI3L1 increased in OA cartilage and decreased in normal cartilage (normal vs. OA, p < 0.01). Our findings are consistent with reports suggesting that these two glycoproteins are functionally associated with the development of OA and in particular with grade 2/3 of OA, suggesting that in the future they could be helpful to stage the severity and progression of the disease.
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Keywords:
Lubricin; CHI3L1; Osteoarthritis; anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT); Immunohistochemistry; mRNA
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MDPI and ACS Style
Szychlinska, M.A.; Trovato, F.M.; Di Rosa, M.; Malaguarnera, L.; Puzzo, L.; Leonardi, R.; Castrogiovanni, P.; Musumeci, G. Co-Expression and Co-Localization of Cartilage Glycoproteins CHI3L1 and Lubricin in Osteoarthritic Cartilage: Morphological, Immunohistochemical and Gene Expression Profiles. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17, 359.
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