Chondrocyte Mineralization Research Articles

Regulatory roles of zinc in matrix vesicle-mediated mineralization of growth plate cartilage.

Zinc (Zn2+) has long been known to play important roles in mineralization and ossification of skeletal tissues, but the mechanisms of Zn2+ action are not well understood. In this study we investigated the effects of Zn2+ on mineralization in a cell culture system in which terminal differentiation and mineralization of hypertrophic growth plate chondrocytes was induced by retinoic acid (RA) treatment. Addition of Zn2+ to RA-treated cultures decreased mineralization in a dose-dependent manner without affecting alkaline phosphatase (APase) activity. Characterization of matrix vesicles (MVs), particles that initiate the mineralization process, revealed that vesicles isolated from RA-treated and RA/Zn2+-treated cultures showed similar APase activity, but vesicles from RA/Zn2+-treated cultures contained significantly less Ca2+ and Pi. MVs isolated from RA-treated cultures were able to take up Ca2+ and mineralize in vitro, whereas vesicles isolated from RA/Zn2+-treated cultures were not able to do so. Detergent treatment, which ruptures the MV membrane and exposes preformed intravesicular Ca2+-Pi-phospholipid complexes, did not restore the Ca2+ uptake abilities of MVs isolated from RA/Zn2+-treated cultures, suggesting that vesicles from RA/Zn2+-treated cultures did not contain functional Ca2+-Pi-phospholipid complexes. Zn2+ treatment did not affect the content of annexins II, V, and VI in MVs or the Ca2+-dependent, EDTA-reversible binding of these molecules to the membrane surface. However, Zn2+ treatment did affect the EDTA-nonreversible binding of these molecules to the MV membrane, suggesting that Zn2+ interferes with the assembly of annexins in the MV membrane. In addition, Zn2+ inhibited annexin II-, V-, and VI-mediated Ca2+ influx into liposomes. In conclusion, Zn2+ inhibits the mineralizing competence of intravesicular Ca2+-Pi-phospholipid complexes and function of annexin channels, thereby controlling Ca2+ influx into MVs, the formation of the first crystal phase inside the vesicles and initiation of mineralization.

Matrix GLA protein is a developmental regulator of chondrocyte mineralization and, when constitutively expressed, blocks endochondral and intramembranous ossification in the limb.

Matrix GLA protein (MGP), a gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (GLA)-rich, vitamin K-dependent and apatite-binding protein, is a regulator of hypertrophic cartilage mineralization during development. However, MGP is produced by both hypertrophic and immature chondrocytes, suggesting that MGP's role in mineralization is cell stage-dependent, and that MGP may have other roles in immature cells. It is also unclear whether MGP regulates the quantity of mineral or mineral nature and quality as well. To address these issues, we determined the effects of manipulations of MGP synthesis and expression in (a) immature and hypertrophic chondrocyte cultures and (b) the chick limb bud in vivo. The two chondrocyte cultures displayed comparable levels of MGP gene expression. Yet, treatment with warfarin, a gamma-carboxylase inhibitor and vitamin K antagonist, triggered mineralization in hypertrophic but not immature cultures. Warfarin effects on mineralization were highly selective, were accompanied by no appreciable changes in MGP expression, alkaline phosphatase activity, or cell number, and were counteracted by vitamin K cotreatment. Scanning electron microscopy, x-ray microanalysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that mineral forming in control and warfarin-treated hypertrophic cell cultures was similar and represented stoichiometric apatite. Virally driven MGP overexpression in cultured chondrocytes greatly decreased mineralization. Surprisingly, MGP overexpression in the developing limb not only inhibited cartilage mineralization, but also delayed chondrocyte maturation and blocked endochondral ossification and formation of a diaphyseal intramembranous bone collar. The results show that MGP is a powerful but developmentally regulated inhibitor of cartilage mineralization, controls mineral quantity but not type, and appears to have a previously unsuspected role in regulating chondrocyte maturation and ossification processes.

Growth factor regulation of fracture repair.

Growth factor regulation of fracture repair.

Effects of simulated microgravity on the alkaline phosphatase activity and intracellular calcium concentration of cultured chondrocytes

The effects of simulated microgravity on matrix mineralization of chondrocytes were examined using cultured chicken embryonic chondrocytes as the model. In four days, there was a time course decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity of chondrocytes, a marker of matrix mineralization. Meanwhile, in two days, there was a significant drop in intracellular calcium concentration in contrast to the control. These results indicate that simulated microgravity can suppress matrix calcification of cultured chondrocytes, and intracellular calcium may be involved in the regulation of matrix calcification as the second messenger.

Opposing effects on mitochondrial membrane potential by malonate and levamisole, whose effect on cell-mediated mineralization is antagonistic.

The act of chondrocyte preparation for primary, enchondral, mineralization is associated with a decline in mitochondrial respiration toward the end of the proliferative zone and the hypertrophic zone in the growth plate. Dexamethasone (Dex)-stimulated cultures of rat marrow stroma constitute a differentiation model simulating, in its energy metabolism, chondrocyte mineralization. In this model, early inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) enriches the culture with mineralizing cells, whereas levamisole inhibits mineralization. Dex also increases mitochondrial membrane potential in stromal cells, especially on days 7-8 of stimulation. In the present study, suicide inhibition of SDH, by nitropropionic acid (NPA), in Dex-stimulated cells showed a dose-dependent increase in day 21 mineralization; the maximal effect was induced on days 2-4 of stimulation. Mineralization under 2-day-long exposure to NPA showed a similar trend to the previously studied effect of continuous exposure to malonate applied between days 3-11. Unlike malonate, the effect of NPA required its presence in the cultures for only 2 days and resulted in higher mineralization than that seen under 8 days of malonate. NPA delineated a period, days 2/4 to 7/9, in which inhibition of succinate oxidation is necessary to augment mineralization. During this period, NPA also exhibited OPC selection capacity. Early application of levamisole, under conditions previously shown to decrease day 21 mineralization, maintained mitochondrial membrane potential at the beginning of Dex stimulation but decreased or had little effect on it during days 5-10. By contrast, malonate previously found to increase day 21 mineralization decreased the membrane potential at the beginning of Dex stimulation but increased it later on day 7, or during days 5-10. These results indicate that during osteoprogenitor differentiation, before the mineralization stage, a surge in mitochondrial inner membrane potential during late matrix maturation may be a marker that heralds the extracellular matrix mineralization.

Interleukin 1 beta suppresses transforming growth factor-induced inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) production and expression of the PPi-generating enzyme PC-1 in human chondrocytes.

Articular cartilage chondrocytes have the unique ability to elaborate large amounts of extracellular pyrophosphate (PPi), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) appears singular among cartilage regulatory factors in stimulating PPi production. TGF beta caused a time and dose-dependent increase in intracellular and extracellular PPi in human articular chondrocyte cultures. TGF beta and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) antagonistically regulate certain chondrocyte functions. IL-1 beta profoundly inhibited basal and TGF beta-induced PPi elaboration. To address mechanisms involved with the regulation of PPi synthesis by IL-1 beta and TGF beta, we analyzed the activity of the PPi-generating enzyme NTP pyrophosphohydrolase (NTPPPH) and the PPi-hydrolyzing enzyme alkaline phosphatase. Human chondrocyte NTPPPH activity was largely attributable to plasma cell membrane glycoprotein 1, PC-1. Furthermore, TGF beta induced comparable increases in the activity of extracellular PPi, intracellular PPi, and cellular NTPPPH and in the levels of PC-1 protein and mRNA in chondrocytes as well as a decrease in alkaline phosphatase. All of these TGF beta-induced responses were completely blocked by IL-1 beta. Thus, IL-1 beta may be an important regulator of mineralization in chondrocytes by inhibiting TGF beta-induced PPi production and PC-1 expression.

Differentiation and mineralization in chick chondrocytes maintained in a high cell density culture: a model for endochondral ossification.

Chondrocytes isolated from the proliferative and differentiating zones of 3-wk-old chick growth plates were cultured in the presence of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and ascorbic acid for up to 21 d in a high cell density culture within Eppendorf tubes. The proliferative, differentiating, and calcification properties of the chondrocytes were examined by immunolocalization and by enzyme histochemical and biochemical methods. The cells maintained a chondrocyte phenotype throughout culture: they were round in shape and synthesized both collagen type II and proteoglycans. The expression of a hypertrophic phenotype was evident by Day 3 of culture and from this time onwards characteristics of terminal differentiation were observed. The cells were positive for both alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and c-myc protein and the surrounding matrix stained strongly for collagen type X. Small foci of mineralization associated with individual chondrocytes were first evident by Day 6 and more widespread areas of mineralization occupying large areas of matrix were present by Day 15. Mineralization occurred without the addition of exogenous phosphate to the medium. This culture system displays characteristics that are similar in both morphological and developmental terms to that of chick chondrocyte differentiation and calcification in vivo and therefore offers an excellent in vitro model for endochondral ossification.

Hypertrophy is not a prerequisite for type X collagen expression or mineralization of chondrocytes derived from cultured chick mandibular ectomesenchyme.

Meckel's cartilage in the avian mandible is a neural crest-derived permanent cartilage. To investigate whether chondrocytes that form Meckel's cartilage can be induced to undergo maturation and mineralization by manipulating the environment, we used in vitro micromass culture in which young embryonic mandibular ectomesenchymal cells were maintained at a high cell density (2 x 10(7) cells/ml) and treated with ascorbic acid (AA) or with dexamethasone and ascorbic acid (DEX + AA). Chondrogenesis and chondrocyte maturation were analyzed by histological, immunohistochemical and SDS/PAGE techniques. Chick mandibular ectomesenchymal cells from Hamburger and Hamilton (J. Morphol. 88:49-92, 1951) stage 21 (HH stage 21) chick embryos undergo chondrogenesis forming cartilage nodules when maintained under micromass culture conditions. These chondrocytes undergo maturation in response to AA but not DEX. Addition of AA to culture medium induced type X collagen expression by these chondrocytes. With prolonged culture, chondrocytes began to mineralize turning cartilage nodules into completely mineralized structures. There was no correlation between chondrocyte size and type X collagen expression. Small chondrocytes as well as large (hypertrophic) chondrocytes expressed type X collagen and then underwent mineralization. Co-treatment of cultures with DEX + AA caused reduction of chondrogenesis and inhibited chondrocyte maturation and mineralization seen with AA alone.

Skeletal and cardiovascular lesions in turkeys induced by feeding beta-aminopropionitrile

Beta-aminopropionitrile toxicosis in turkeys induced skeletal and cardiovascular lesions. Enlarged hocks with widening of the epiphyseal plate and articular cartilage, green tinting of the skin over swollen joints, and synovitis were the skeletal defects that were found. Joint lesions apparently resulted from impediment of endochondral mineralization and maturation of chondrocytes in the epiphyseal plate and articular cartilage. Cardiovascular alterations resulting from BAPN feeding included ground substance increase, swelling and disorganization of collagenous fibers, and elastolysis. These changes cause polypoid intimal thickenings and the induction of dissecting aneurysms. Intimal arteriosclerotic plaques were found in the posterior aorta of “normal” turkey poults. There is a possibility that such lesions are a prerequisite for the development of dissecting aneurysms.