Enzymes that breakdown components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are of fundamental importance, not only in normal bone physiology but also in pathological processes. For instance the temporal and spatial distribution of proteoglycans is not only critical for the mineralisation of bone but is also believed to be responsible for dictating the local bioavailability of glycosaminoglycan-binding growth factors. A sub-family of the ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) has been identified, that contains thrombospondin-like motifs (ADAMTS), and ADAMTS1, 4 and 5 have recently been shown to cleave the major proteoglycan of cartilage, aggrecan. We propose that ADAMTS family members play a novel role in regulating osteoblast function by determining the distribution of proteoglycan in bone.

RT-PCR and Northern blotting experiments have shown expression of ADAMTS1, 3, 4 and 5 in primary rat osteoblasts and in the osteosarcoma cell lines, MG63, TE85 and SaOS-2. ADAMTS1 transcript levels increased with time in primary rat osteoblasts driven by dexamethasone, beta-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid phosphate to produce bone-like nodules in vitro. Whereas levels of ADAMTS4 that were initially raised in this culture system then became undetectable as mineralisation proceeded.

Since we are interested in the relationship between the osteoblast and matrix molecules, we plated TE85 cells onto an ECM synthesised by MG63 cells and isolated RNA at 1, 24 and 48 hours. Northern analysis showed a transient upregulation of mRNA for both ADAMTS1 and 5 at 1h that was reduced to control levels at 24 and 48h. Transcripts for ADAMTS1 and 3 were also upregulated in primary rat osteoblasts when seeded on ECM molecules like fibronectin and type I collagen for 48 hours. There was however no change in the expression levels of ADAMTS4 when plated on to any of the substrates at any of the time points tested.

These data suggests that cells of the osteoblast lineage express ADAMTS1, 3, 4 and 5 and that individual transcript levels can be regulated by ECM components. The focalised production of ADAMTS family members in response to matrix-derived and other cues may be an important part of bone formation and may have important implications for the way that cells of the osteoblast lineage interact with implant and other biomaterials.