Aims. Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a promising treatment for articular cartilage degeneration and injury; however, it requires a large number of human hyaline chondrocytes, which often undergo dedifferentiation during in vitro expansion. This study aimed to investigate the effect of suramin on chondrocyte differentiation and its underlying mechanism. Methods. Porcine chondrocytes were treated with vehicle or various doses of suramin. The expression of collagen, type II, alpha 1 (COL2A1), aggrecan (ACAN); COL1A1; COL10A1; SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9); nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX); interleukin (IL)-1β; tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα); IL-8; and matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP-13) in chondrocytes at both messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. In addition, the supplementation of suramin to redifferentiation medium for the culture of expanded chondrocytes in 3D pellets was evaluated. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen production were evaluated by biochemical analyses and immunofluorescence, as well as by immunohistochemistry. The expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NOX activity were assessed by luciferase reporter gene assay, immunofluorescence analysis, and flow cytometry. Mutagenesis analysis, Alcian blue staining, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and western blot assay were used to determine whether p67. phox. was involved in suramin-enhanced chondrocyte phenotype maintenance. Results. Suramin enhanced the COL2A1 and ACAN expression and lowered COL1A1 synthesis. Also, in 3D pellet culture GAG and COL2A1 production was significantly higher in pellets consisting of chondrocytes expanded with suramin compared to controls. Surprisingly, suramin also increased ROS generation, which is largely caused by enhanced NOX (p67. phox. ) activity and membrane translocation. Overexpression of p67. phox. but not p67. phox. AD (deleting amino acid (a.a) 199 to 212) mutant, which does not support ROS production in chondrocytes, significantly enhanced chondrocyte phenotype maintenance, SOX9 expression, and AKT (S473) phosphorylation. Knockdown of p67. phox. with its specific short hairpin (sh) RNA (shRNA) abolished the suramin-induced effects. Moreover, when these cells were treated with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) inhibitor LY294002 or shRNA of AKT1, p67. phox. -induced COL2A1 and ACAN expression was significantly inhibited. Conclusion. Suramin could redifferentiate dedifferentiated chondrocytes dependent on p67. phox. activation, which is mediated by the PI3K/AKT/SOX9 signalling pathway. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(10):723–738

Aims. This study aimed to investigate the effect of solute carrier family 20 member 2 (SLC20A2) gene mutation (identified from a hereditary multiple exostoses family) on chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation. Methods. ATDC5 chondrocytes were cultured in insulin-transferrin-selenium medium to induce differentiation. Cells were transfected with pcDNA3.0 plasmids with either a wild-type (WT) or mutated (MUT) SLC20A2 gene. The inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentration in the medium of cells was determined. The expression of markers of chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation, the Indian hedgehog (Ihh), and parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) pathway were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Results. The expression of SLC20A2 in MUT group was similar to WT group. The Pi concentration in the medium of cells in MUT group was significantly higher than WT group, which meant the SLC20A2 mutation inhibited Pi uptake in ATDC5 chondrocytes. The proliferation rate of ATDC5 chondrocytes in MUT group was greater than WT group. The expression of aggrecan (Acan), α-1 chain of type II collagen (COL2A1), and SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9) were higher in MUT group than WT group. However, the expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), α-1 chain of type X collagen (COL10A1), and matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13) was significantly decreased in the MUT group. Similar results were obtained by Alcian blue and Alizarin red staining. The expression of Ihh and PTHrP in MUT group was higher than WT group. An inhibitor (cyclopamine) of Ihh/PTHrP signalling pathway inhibited the proliferation and restored the differentiation of chondrocytes in MUT group. Conclusion. A mutation in SLC20A2 (c.C1948T) decreases Pi uptake in ATDC5 chondrocytes. SLC20A2 mutation promotes chondrocyte proliferation while inhibiting chondrocyte differentiation. The Ihh/PTHrP signalling pathway may play an important role in this process. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2020;9(11):751–760

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Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is known to induce several types of tissue regeneration by activating tissue-specific stem cells. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of PEDF 29-mer peptide in the damaged articular cartilage (AC) in rat osteoarthritis (OA).

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Mechanical stimulation is a key factor in the development and healing of tendon-bone insertion. Treadmill training is an important rehabilitation treatment. This study aims to investigate the benefits of treadmill training initiated on postoperative day 7 for tendon-bone insertion healing.

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Vertebrates have adapted to life on Earth and its constant gravitational field, which exerts load on the body and influences the structure and function of tissues. While the effects of microgravity on muscle and bone homeostasis are well described, with sarcopenia and osteoporosis observed in astronauts returning from space, the effects of shorter exposures to increased gravitational fields are less well characterized. We aimed to test how hypergravity affects early cartilage and skeletal development in a zebrafish model.

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In the repair of condylar cartilage injury, synovium-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs) migrate to an injured site and differentiate into cartilage. This study aimed to confirm that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which alleviate arthritis, can improve chondrogenesis inhibited by IL-1β, and to explore its mechanism.