Humans ; Proteoglycans ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors/surgery*

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study was performed in patients who had undergone any operation with removal of lumbar intervertebral disc at Chungnam National University Hospital. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate relationship among magnetic resonance image, electron microscopic findings, light microscopic findings and clinical symptoms in degenerated intervertebral disc. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Degenerative changes and disc herniations in the intervertebral disc have been shown to be accompanied by changes in the water and proteoglycan content of the tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study followed by any operation with removal of intervertebral disc was carried out on 60 patients at Chungnam National University Hospital from January 1998 to December 1999. In radiographic evaluation we used a criteria from Frymoyer. In clinical evaluation we classified clinical symptom according to scale of Kirkaldy-Willis. And we classified of electron microscopic findings into five grades according to degrees of denudation of proteoglycan from hyalunonic acid. In light microscopic findings, we classified by cell nest formation, noevascularization and amount of muccopolysaccharide. RESULTS: In radiologic evaluation there were 11 cases in grade III, 28 cases in grade IV, and 21 cases in grade V. There were no grade I, II in our study. In clinical symptom, there were 20 cases in Good, 18 cases in Fair, and 22 cases in Poor. In electron micro-scopic findings, there were 4 cases in grade 3, 35 cases in grade 4, and 21 cases in grade 5. There were no grade I, II in this study. There was a relationship between magnetic resonance image and electron microscopic findings and clinical symptom (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Our study of electron microscopic findings of degenerated intervertebral disc may be a help to understand of pathogenesis of disc prolapse.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Prolapse ; Proteoglycans ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To determine the viability of human chondrocytes within refrigerated articular cartilage stored under conditions currently used clinically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Osteochondral sections of human ankle taluses were stored at 4 degrees C in DMEM media for 1 to 42 days. Articular cartilage was harvested and evaluated for histologic changes and proteoglycan synthesis. RESULTS: By day 7, markedly decreased proteoglycan synthesis was observed. After 21 days, synthetic activity was virtually undetectable. Histologic specimens demonstrated chondrocyte death of a half of the cells from the superficial layer at day 7. Within 21 days, significant chondrocyte death was seen. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that proteoglycan synthetic activity and chondrocyte viability are markedly decreased in articular cartilage after cold storage for longer than 7 days.
Ankle ; Cartilage, Articular* ; Chondrocytes ; Humans* ; Proteoglycans ; Refrigeration ; Talus

Recombinant protein SMB(PRG4) containing two Somatomedin B domains and a small amount of glycosylation of repetitive sequences of proteoglycan 4 was cloned according to PGR4 gene polymorphism. Mature purification process was established and recombinant protein SMB(PRG4), with high-level expression was purified. By using size-exclusion chromatogaraphy and dynamic light scattering, we found that the recombinant protein self-aggregate to dimeric form. Structure prediction and non-reducing electrophoresis revealed that SMB(PRG4), was a non-covalently bonded dimer.
Glycosylation ; Protein Multimerization ; Proteoglycans ; chemistry ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; Somatomedins ; chemistry

No abstract available.
Glomerular Basement Membrane* ; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans* ; Heparitin Sulfate*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine whether degeneration severities of meniscus assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would well estimate those assessed using histological and biochemical examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven lateral menisci from knees with osteoarthritis undergoing total knee arthroplasty (study group) and five from normal controls (control group) were examined for this study. Degeneration severities of the menisci were graded using MRI, histologic and biochemical examinations of the menisci were then performed. Comparative analyses of MRI grading and results of histological/biochemical examinations of the menisci were performed in each group. In addition, comparative analyses of histological/biochemical conditions were performed between specimens of the study group and the control group showing grade 0 on MRI. RESULTS: All specimens from the control group showed grade 0 on MRI and their histology was also grade 0. In addition, no significant differences in biochemical results were observed among the specimens of the control group. In the lateral meniscus from the study group showing degeneration on MRI it was found that the water and proteoglycan contents increased with increasing grade of degeneration whereas the collagen content decreased. The meniscus specimens of the control group and the study group showing grade 0 on MRI had similar histologic findings but had different biochemical properties. The grade I, II degenerations on MRI were not well matched with the histologic findings in the study group. CONCLUSION: Severities of meniscus degeneration on MRI did not well reflect the histologic findings of the meniscus. This finding may be due to the water content of the meniscus. The factors of the high signal intensity of the degenerated lateral meniscus on MRI may be due to the decreased component of collagen and increased proteoglycan. Our findings suggested that caution should be taken when the severities of meniscus degeneration on MRI are attributed to histologic severities of degenerated meniscus.
Arthroplasty ; Collagen ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Osteoarthritis ; Proteoglycans

Collagen ; Drug Combinations ; Durapatite ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Laminin ; Proteoglycans

I have examined the effects of a growth factor, transforming growth factor(TGF)-B 1, on the rates of proteoglycan synthesis, aggregation potenital, and phenotypic expression of proteoglycans from human cervical intervertebral discs maintained in a cell culture system. A cell culture system for transitional and nuclear regions of degenerated human cervical intervertebral disc disc was devised to assess the biosynthetic response, assayed by 35S-sulfate incorporation into proteoglycan and protein synthesis assayed by 35S-methionine incorporation. And I had the data as the TGF-B 1 has an effect on the proteoglycan synthesis in quantitative and qualitative analysis in the cell culture system of the human intervertebral disc. TGF-B 1 may be used as a therapeutic alternative to degenerated disc disease.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Proteoglycans ; Transforming Growth Factors

Pachydermoperiostosis is a very rare genodermatosis that is characterized by pachydermia, digital clubbing and periostosis. It usually occurs during adolescence and the disease is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Although the pathogenesis of this disease is still a matter of debate, it is associated with abnormal proliferation of fibroblasts, osteoblasts and endothelial cells and altered proteoglycan synthesis. We report here on a case of pachydermoperiostosis in a 21-year-old man who was diagnosed by the clinical features, skin biopsy and radiological examinations.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Endothelial Cells ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Osteoarthropathy, Primary Hypertrophic ; Osteoblasts ; Proteoglycans ; Skin ; Young Adult

Articular chondrocytes have been known to have heterogeneity in articular cartilage. Four layers are generally recognized from the articular surface to the subchondral bone. We have used Percoll density gradients to separate chondrocytes from articular cartilage into distinct subpopulations. Non-fibrillated articular cartilage was obtained from rabbit knee. The cells were carefully layered on the top of the preformed gradient and spun. After centrifugation, we obtained four fractions: Fraction A referred boundary between 0% and 10%, fraction B from between 10% and 20%, fraction C from between 20% and 30%, and fraction D from between 40% and 50%. In the A fraction, cells are relatively larger and round in shape, while their nuclei are relatively smaller. In the cytoplasm many lipid droplets were found and rough endoplasmic reticulum were disrupted. In the D fraction, chondrocyte is small, with large nucleus which surrounded by well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum. The type II collagen proteins were expressed strongly and more proteoglycans synthesized in fractions A and B. And chondrocytes from the fraction D divided more slowly than those from the fractions A, B, and C. We have succeeded in separating chondrocytes from articular cartilage into distinct subpopulations by Percoll density gradients, as well as characterized growth rate, histological appearances and phenotypic expression. This study is the first report about the Percoll density gradients to separate articular chondrocytes.
Cartilage, Articular ; Centrifugation ; Chondrocytes* ; Collagen Type II ; Cytoplasm ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Knee ; Population Characteristics ; Proteoglycans