Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.17 (MMP-3)
 3,419 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In osteoarthritis, despite increased matrix synthesis, there is a reduction of both major matrix components, proteoglycan and collagen. This study suggests that this is the result of enhanced degradative activity intrinsic to the cartilage. Because osteoarthritis is a focal disease, histologic controls were used to measure the severity in different areas of the cartilage and in different specimens. Neutral proteoglycanase and collagenase were both described in human cartilage, and their levels matched the severity of the disease as did acid phosphatase, a marker of lysosomal enzymes. Articular cartilage collagenase has an inhibitor in the cartilage and has negligible activity in normal cartilage. This was found not to be a lysosomal enzyme. A model of osteoarthritis was studied and found to have the same biochemical pattern as human disease. Using this method, inhibitors of degradative enzymes were used as a treatment. The chelator of metallic cations EDTA was found to have a significant effect on reduction of degradative enzyme activity and altered the arthritic process.
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PMID:Degradative enzyme systems in osteoarthritic cartilage. 298 65

The temporo-mandibular joint of aged mice develops osteoarthritic (OA) degenerative lesions. Adult chondrocytes have a low rate of cell replication, and cartilage repair potential is very limited. One of the major problems in OA is the low rate of matrix synthesis and the inability of the chondrocytes to exceed the rate of matrix degradation. These combined factors lead to the overall destruction of the cartilage as seen in OA. Cartilage degradation is mediated by elevated proteolytic activity of enzymes. Among the enzymes degrading cartilage are the metalloproteinases, stromelysin and collagenase. Other proteinases that may potentially participate in matrix degradation are the lysosomal enzymes cathepsin B, D, and L, and acid phosphatase. On the other hand, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme that has been shown to be a marker for anabolic activity in skeletal tissues such as bone and cartilage. The cartilage of the mandibular condyle in the T-M-J from aged mice reveals OA lesions. An overall reduction of cell proliferation and sulfated proteoglycan synthesis has been also shown in this joint. In the present study the effects of hTGF-beta on the stimulation of DNA and sulfated GAG synthesis and ALP activity were studied. Mandibular condyle cartilage obtained from 12-month-old ICR male mice were cultured in BGJb serum-free medium for 24-72 hours, supplemented with 0.1-10 ng/ml hTGF-beta 1. 3H-thymidine and 35S-sulfate were added for the last 24 hours of the culture and their incorporation into DNA and sulfated GAGs respectively, as well as the activity of ALP, were determined. Results indicated that hTGF-beta 1 enhanced the incorporation of both 3H-thymidine and of 35S-sulfate into cartilage cultures of aged mice, and also induced ALP activity. It thus appeared that in OA degenerating articular cartilage, the chondrocytes could be stimulated in vitro to proliferate and to synthesize new matrix, thus indicating induced anabolic activity in the tissue.
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PMID:Osteoarthritis in the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) of aged mice and the in vitro effect of TGF-beta 1 on cell proliferation, matrix synthesis, and alkaline phosphatase activity. 918 53