Comprehensive evaluation of the articular cartilage based on quantitative analysis of extracellular matrix using the new solubilization method.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01821
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Shimane University
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi-Miura Mikiko 島根大学, 学術研究院医学・看護学系, 助教 (40447925)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 関節軟骨 / グリコサミノグリカン / コラーゲン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aimed to find an index for comprehensive estimation of the articular cartilage. We quantitated the glycosaminoglycan（GAG）and collagen（COL）as main extracellular matrix constituents of the articular cartilage at various growing stages during maturation in male rats. For COL quantitation, we measured hydroxyproline（Hyp）, an unique modified amino acid in COL protein.
The amount of GAG was decreasing dramatically during the early maturation and then mildly at the latter half of maturation. On the other hand, the amount of Hyp was increasing constantly. The GAG/Hyp ratio is also dramatically changed during maturation and the ratio showed a unique value for each maturation stage clearly. Therefore, it is possible that the GAG/Hyp ratio may be a useful index for the estimation of the articular cartilage during maturation.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

関節軟骨の摩耗が主な原因となる変形性膝関節症は日本人の5人に1人が罹患しているといわれ、特に高齢者に多い疾患である。しかし、関節軟骨の組織を形成する成分についての一生を通じての経時的な変化などについては未知の部分も多い。成熟に伴って組織の再性能が失われていくことから、成長過程の関節軟骨の性質を知ることは変形性膝関節症の治療法の開発などに繋がる可能性がある。本研究では、関節軟骨の細胞外基質組成分量とその組成比を成長段階ごとに解析し、関節軟骨組織の構成組成比GAG/Hypが未成熟な関節軟骨の成熟度を示す指標としての有用性を示唆した。