Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify genes responsible for the formation and maintenance of cartilage tissue. For this purpose, gene expression patterns were compared between differentiating and dedifferentiating chondrocytes by cDNA macroarray analysis. A total of 1,186 genes were examined, and at least 7 genes were identified as candidate genes having critical roles in cartilages. Three of them encode well-known cartilage matrix molecules: aggrecan, decorin and type IX collagen, and others were preproenkephalin A, Early Growth Response-1, Early Growth Response-3, and basigin. All these genes were expressed at high level in mature cartilage, but their expressions were suppressed in response to dedifferentiation of chondrocytes. Meanwhile, transcription factor ALY, variant in the kinase (vik), and syndecan 2 genes were newly activated during the process of chondrocyte dedifferentiation. A similar process is somewhat observed in osteoarthritis. Therefore, activation of these genes might be closely related to the progression of osteoarthritis and would be a useful marker for it.
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