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Osteoarthritis synovial fluid activates pro-inflammatory cytokines in primary human chondrocytes

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Abstract

Purpose

Two of the most common joint diseases are rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Cartilage degradation and erosions are important pathogenetic mechanisms in both joint diseases and have presently gained increasing interest. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the synovial fluid environment of OA patients in comparison with synovial fluids of RA patients on human chondrocytes in vitro.

Methods

Primary human chondrocytes were incubated in synovial fluids gained from patients with OA or RA. The detection of vital cell numbers was determined by histology and by using the Casy Cell Counter System. Cytokine and chemokine secretion was determined by a multiplex suspension array.

Results

Microscopic analysis showed altered cell morphology and cell shrinkage following incubation with synovial fluid of RA patients. Detection of vital cells showed a highly significant decrease of vital chondrocyte when treated with RA synovial fluids in comparison with OA synovial fluids. An active secretion of cytokines such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of chondrocytes treated with OA synovial fluids was observed.

Conclusions

Significantly increased levels of various cytokines in synovial fluids of RA, and surprisingly of OA, patients were shown. Activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines of human chondrocytes by synovial fluids of OA patient supports a pro-inflammatory process in the pathogenesis of OA.

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Disclosure statement

The authors have no proprietary, financial, professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the results and views presented in this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité University Hospital, Berlin, Germany

    Paula Hoff, Frank Buttgereit, Gerd-Rüdiger Burmester, Manuela Jakstadt & Timo Gaber

  2. German Arthritis Research Centre, Berlin, Germany

    Paula Hoff, Frank Buttgereit, Gerd-Rüdiger Burmester, Manuela Jakstadt & Timo Gaber

  3. Berlin Brandenburg Centre for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin, Germany

    Frank Buttgereit, Manuela Jakstadt, Timo Gaber, Kristin Andreas & Carsten Perka

  4. Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Charité University Hospital, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Georg Matziolis, Carsten Perka & Eric Röhner

  5. Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Berlin, Germany

    Kristin Andreas

Authors
  1. Paula Hoff
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  2. Frank Buttgereit
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  3. Gerd-Rüdiger Burmester
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  4. Manuela Jakstadt
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  5. Timo Gaber
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  6. Kristin Andreas
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  7. Georg Matziolis
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  8. Carsten Perka
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  9. Eric Röhner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric Röhner.

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Hoff, P., Buttgereit, F., Burmester, GR. et al. Osteoarthritis synovial fluid activates pro-inflammatory cytokines in primary human chondrocytes. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 37, 145–151 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-012-1724-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-012-1724-1

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