Abstract
Introduction and Aims: To establish whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays a role in the changes in chondrocyte metabolism exhibited in human osteoarthritis (OA).
Method: BFGF and its receptor was localised by immunohistochemistry within human OA. The results from OA tissue graded ‘early’ and ‘advanced’ were compared. This was correlated with the identification of proliferating chondrocytes (using by localising PCNA) and dead/dying chondrocytes (using the TUNEL technique).
Results: Results showed that bFGF and its receptor were strongly localised around chondrocytes in proliferating clusters in ‘early’ OA, whereas no bFGF was detected in ‘advanced’ OA. In addition, a loss of bFGF activity in ‘advanced’ OA correlated with the identification of large numbers of dead/dying chondrocytes.
Conclusion: Results suggest that high levels of bFGF activity in OA play an important role in chondrocyte proliferation and the formation of chondrocyte clusters. In addition, the loss of this activity appears to be directly related to an increase in cell death in ‘advanced’ OA, suggesting that bFGF acts as a ‘survival’ factor in this tissue. The more we understand about the metabolic changes in chondrocytes during OA, the closer we come to delaying or preventing this debilitating joint disease.
These abstracts were prepared by Editorial Secretary, George Sikorski. Correspondence should be addressed to Australian Orthopaedic Association, Ground Floor, The William Bland Centre, 229 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.
None of the authors is receiving any financial benefit or support from any source.
