Effect of multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA) on the cyclic AMP level and proteoglycan synthesis in cultured chondrocytes.

Abstract

Multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA), a somatomedin purified from conditioned medium of Buffalo rat liver cells, had little effect on the intracellular level of cyclic AMP when it markedly enhanced the synthesis of sulphated glycosaminoglycans in rabbit chondrocytes in culture. In addition, MSA did not inhibit prostaglandin E1- or parathyroid hormone-induced accumulation of cyclic AMP in the chondrocytes. On the contrary, MSA slightly decreased stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation by prostaglandin in human fibroblasts. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP and MSA increased the incorporation of [35S]sulphate and [3H]serine into proteoglycans synthesized by rabbit chondrocytes, and their effects were additive. These findings suggest that somatomedin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP enhance sulphate proteoglycan synthesis through different mechanisms. The lack of inhibitory effect of MSA on cyclic AMP accumulation may be favourable for producing additive effects with cyclic AMP on proteoglycan synthesis and DNA synthesis in chondrocytes.