The Effects of Cartilage Extract on the Rheumatoid Synovial Cells

Kim, Jin Ho; Yoo, Jeong Joon; Kim, Tae Kyun; Song, Won Seok; Kim, Hee Joong; Kim, Young Min

Abstract

PURPOSE
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic multisystemic disease involving joints. It has been difficult to explain why the inflammatory responses of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are mostly limited to the joints. To explain this localizing phenomenon, we hypothetized that the cartilage, which exists in the joints, maintaines the activated status of synovial membrane and provides local specific environment for the maintenance of inflammatory response of arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Synovial fibroblast were proliferated with and without the addition of cartilage tissues, chondrocytes, type II collagens to the growth media respectively. MTS assay (CellTiter 96(R) AQ One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay) was done at 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th and 11th days to evaluate the proliferation of the cells. The data were assessed with one-way ANOVA and unpaired t-test. Results : In a group where 0.1 g/ml of cartilage tissues were added to the growth media, the synovial fibroblasts from the normal people and rhematoid arthritic patients showed higher amount of proliferation from the 3rd day compared to the control group. When 0.02 g/ml of cartilage tissues were added, the synovial fibroblasts from the normal people showed higher amount of proliferation from the 4th day and those from RA patients from the 3rd day compared to the control group (p< 0.05). There was no significant statistical difference according to the concentration of the cartilage tissues.In a group where chondrocyte extract was added to the growth media, the synovial fibroblasts from the normal people showed higher amount of proliferation from the 4th day and those from RA patients from the 3rd day compared to the control group (p< 0.05). In a group where type II collagens were added to the growth media, the synovial fibroblasts from normal people and RA patients showed no significant statistical differences compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The cartilage tissue is important in maintenance of synovial fibroblast proliferation. Of the cartilage tissue, chondrocyte, not extracellular type II collagen, played a major role. But further study is needed about what component of the chondrocyte extract maintaines the proliferation of synovial fibroblast.