N-Glycan profiling of chondrocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes: Towards functional glycomics in osteoarthritis

Fuehrer, Johannes; Pichler, Katharina M.; Fischer, Anita; Giurea, Alexander; Weinmann, Daniela; Altmann, Friedrich; Windhager, Reinhard; Gabius, Hans-Joachim und Toegel, Stefan (2021): N-Glycan profiling of chondrocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes: Towards functional glycomics in osteoarthritis. In: Proteomics Clinical Applications, Bd. 15, Nr. 2-3, 2000057

Abstract

Purpose: N-Glycan profiling provides an indicator of the cellular potential for functional pairing with tissue lectins. Following the discovery of galectin expression by chondrocytes as a factor in osteoarthritis pathobiology, mapping of N-glycans upon their phenotypic dedifferentiation in culture and in fibroblast-like synoviocytes is a step to better understand glycobiological contributions to disease progression. Experimental design: The profiles of cellular N-glycans of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes were characterized by mass spectrometry. RT-qPCR experiments determined mRNA levels of 16 glycosyltransferases. Responsiveness of cells to galectins was quantified by measuring the mRNA level for interleukin-1 beta. Results: The shift of chondrocytes to a fibroblastic phenotype (dedifferentiation) is associated with changes in N-glycosylation. The N-glycan profile of chondrocytes at passage 4 reflects characteristics of synoviocytes. Galectins-1 and -3 enhance expression of interleukin-1 beta mRNA in both cell types, most pronounced in primary culture. Presence of interleukin-1 beta leads to changes in sialylation in synoviocytes that favor galectin binding. Conclusions and clinical relevance: N-Glycosylation reflects phenotypic changes of osteoarthritic cells in vitro. Like chondrocytes, fibroblast-like synoviocytes express N-glycans that are suited to bind galectins, and these proteins serve as inducers of proinflammatory markers in these cells. Synoviocytes can thus contribute to disease progression in osteoarthritis in situ.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Tiermedizin > Veterinärwissenschaftliches Department
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 1862-8346
• Sprache: Englisch