Aggrecan degradation by ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) is essential to cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis, but its expression profile and regulation are unclear. The authors show overexpression of ADAMTS4 in osteoarthritis synovium and synergistic upregulation by interleukin-1α, tumor necrosis factor-α, and transforming growth factor-β in osteoarthritis synovial fibroblasts. These findings suggest that concurrent therapy with an anti-TNF-α drug and inhibitor(s) may be useful for prevention against aggrecan degradation in OA.
- Mehmet Zeynel Cilek
- Susana de Vega
- Yasunori Okada
