# REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION IN CARTILAGE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 1989 · $148,220

## Abstract

In osteoarthrosis, the major and central changes occur in the hyaline
articular cartilage.  Remodeling and repair of the joint structure often
accompany the progression of this disease.  To provide a basis for
comparison to the pathological situation, we propose to investigate the
basic mechanisms that regulate extracellular matrix production in normal
cartilage chondrocytes.  The approach taken will be to investigate the
factors and the mechanisms which control the expression of specific
extracellular matrix genes.  Questions asked are:  What factors control the
expression of genes in the mature chondrocyte?  At what level of
biosynthesis do these effectors act?  Are there subpopulations of
chondrocytes with differing capacities for biosynthesis?  A view of
chondrocyte development is emerging which is very different from that
traditionally held:  that is, it appears that chondrocytes isolated from
different tissues, at different ages and from different species have quite
variant capacity for gene expression within the confines of what was
traditionally considered a chondrocyte:  production of type II collagen and
high molecular weight, cartilage specific, chrondroitin sulfate
proteoglycan.  The technologies of recombinant DNA will be used to study
gene expression in cultured articular chondrocytes.  A model system has
been developed in which bovine articular chondrocytes in culture can be
used to determine the biosynthetic capability of the cells.  Recently we
have used this system to show that ascorbic acid can change the predominant
type of collagen synthesized.  Using specific DNA probes for types I and II
collagen mRNAs, we have shown that these cultures can quite readily change
the type of collagen mRNA synthesized.  We propose to elucidate the
mechanisms for this change in mRNA quantities and determine the effects of
other factors such as epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor,
and insulin-like growth factors, all known to influence matrix synthesis in
cartilage.  These findings may be extremely significant to the concept of
cartilage as an anlage to bone, in "aging" joint cartilage and in diseased
cartilage.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157856
- **Project number:** 5R01AR036994-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HD1WMN6945W6
- **Principal Investigator:** LINDA J SANDELL
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $148,220
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1987-01-01 → 1989-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157856

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157856, REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION IN CARTILAGE (5R01AR036994-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157856. Licensed CC0.

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