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Wu XC, Zhu ZH, Zhang JP, Shao FM, Peng JQ, Chen Y, Wang XZ, Li WY, Cao YL, Feng W, Xu JG, Ding DF. Identification of thrombin as a key regulator of chondrocyte catabolic activity through RNA-Seq and experimental verification. Gene X 2022; 823:146327. [PMID: 35219816 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was designed to explore the relationship between thrombin and catabolic activity in chondrocytes. Primary rat chondrocytes were cultured for 24 h with rat serum (RS), rat plasma (RP), or rat plasma supplemented with thrombin (RPT). RNA-sequencing was then performed. Cell proliferation was analyzed by EdU uptake, CCK-8 assays and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of proliferation-related genes. Heatmaps were used to visualize differences in gene expression. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses of up- and down-regulated differentially expressed genes were conducted. Molecular probes were used to label the endoplasmic reticulum in chondrocytes from three treatment groups. Immunofluorescence and Safranin O staining were used to assess type II collagen (Col2a1) expression and proteoglycan synthesis, whereas Lox expression was assessed by immunocytochemistry. The expression of enzymes involved in the synthesis and maturation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components and chemokines were measured by qPCR while matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) levels were evaluated by Western blotting. Relevant nodules were selected through further PPI network analyses. A total of 727 and 1162 genes were up- and down-regulated based on the Venn diagrams comparison among groups. Thrombin was thus able to promote chondrocyte proliferation and a shift towards fibrotic morphology, while upregulating MMPs and chemokines linked to ECM degradation. In addition, thrombin decreased the enzyme expression involved in the synthesis and maturation of ECM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Chen Wu
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Heng Zhu
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun-Peng Zhang
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fu-Ming Shao
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing-Qiu Peng
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Shi's Center of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xue-Zong Wang
- Shi's Center of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wen-Yao Li
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue-Long Cao
- Shi's Center of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wei Feng
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Guang Xu
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dao-Fang Ding
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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