Studies on cartilage formation. XXII. Investigations of certain oxidative metabolic processes in regenerating articular cartilage.

The distal articular surface of the femur was surgically removed in 57 dogs. Succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase activities were assayed on postoperative days 7, 20, 26, 33 and 70 in the regenerating, chondrifying articular surface and in the granulation tissue adhering to the capsule. In the 70-day samples, the cyanide-induced inhibition of oxygen consumption was determined and enzyme histochemical reactions (cytochrome oxidase, monoamine oxidase, xanthine oxidase, peroxidase and "catalase") were performed. The succinate dehydrogenase activity was the highest in the early postoperative stage in both tissues. This was followed by a definite decrease and a subsequent significant increase in activity when chondrification took place. Measurement of cytochrome oxidase activity could not reveal any convincing result, presumably because of the properties of the tissues studied. The oxygen consumption by the chondrifying articular surface at 70 days was inhibited to about 50% by cyanide, and about 90% inhibition was observed in the tissue adhering to the capsule. The cells of the regenerating articular surface possess cytochrome oxidase and a cyanide- (and sodium azide-) resistant oxidase activity. The enzyme activity of the cartilaginous islets exceeded that of their connective tissue environment. The cytochrome oxidase activity increased in the cells during cartilage differentiation. Presumably, some further cyanide-sensitive and cyanide-resistant oxidases are present in chondroblasts and young chondrocytes.

Studies on cartilage formation XXL Activity of enzymes belonging to the pentose-phosphate cycle in the regenerating articular surface.

The distal articular surface of the femur was removed operatively in 36 dogs. In the regenerating chondrifying articular surface and in the granulation tissue adhering to the capsule glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activities were determined 7, 33 and 70 days after operation. In both tissues the activity of these enzymes characteristic of the pentose phosphate cycle ws the highest in the early postoperative stage. This initial increase in activity was followed by a marked reduction in the regenerating articular surface and by a moderate decrease in the tissue adhering to the capsule. For the loss in activity occurring in the chondrifying articular surface, the connective tissue cells (fibroblasts) are responsible. Cartilage precursors and young chondrocytes show a high glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate activity. Presumably, in the given case of the functions of the pentose-phosphate cycle the NADPH generation and supply of building stones prevail. The activity of these enzymes ws determined in the articular cartilage and in the synovial membrane of the knee joint in further 18 dogs. The activity in the articular cartilage was very slight as compared to that in the synovial membrane.

Effect of loading and prednisolone treatment on the glycosaminoglycan content of articular cartilage in dogs.

The effect of prolonged prednisolone administration on glycosaminoglycan components was studied by means of determinations of galactosamine, glucosamine, uronic acid, sulphate and sialic acid content in normally loaded and spared articular cartilages of the knee-joints in dogs. After 40 days, all glycosaminoglycan components decreased by 58% in the spared cartilage, as compated with the controls. Prolonged administration of 0.5 mg prednisolone/kg body weight (corresponding to a low therapeutic dose), elicited a further decrease in galactosamine, whereas the other components remained practically unchanged. In the normally loaded articular cartilage of prednisolone-treated dogs the glycosaminoglycan components decreased by about 11-31% compared with untreated controls. The quantitative data indicate that in the changes occurring the glycosaminoglycan composition of the articular cartilage due to relief of function and to prednisolone treatment, chondroitin suplphate is mainly involved. The changes due to prednisolone treatment are dependent on the functional demand of the joint.

Effect of prednisolone on the glycosaminoglycan components of the regenerating articular cartilage.

Investigations were performed on the effect of prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg) on the regenerating femoral articular cartilage of the knee joint in dogs that had been subjected to semiarthroplasty. After 70 days of prednisolone treatment the dogs were killed and the regenerating articular cartilage was removed, minced, and dried with acetone. The acetone-dried material was used for the determination of galactosamine, glucosamine, uronic acid, sulphate, sialic acid and hydroxyproline. Prednisolone treatment elicited a quantitative increase in galactosamine (30.2%), uronic acid (76.2%), and sulphate (9.1%), while no difference was observed in sialic acid content between the treated and untreated groups. From the molar ratio of the measured components it appears that prednisolone produced an increase in chondroitin sulphate and hyaluronic acid, and a decrease in the keratosulphate content of cartilage. By comparing the values measured in the regenerating articular cartilage of control and prednisolone-treated dogs with the values obtained in the mature articular cartilage, we may conclude that prednisolone--at least as regards the glycosaminoglycans of the ground substance--exerts an accelerating effect on cartilage regeneration.

Studies on cartilage formation. XVIII. Changes of the composition of glycosaminoglycans in the regenerating articular surface.

The cartilaginous articular surface of the distal part of the femur of adult dogs was removed and the composition of GAGs was determined in the granulation tissue adhering to the bone wound and in that adhering to the articular capsule 7, 33, and 70 days after operation. The articular cartilage and the synovial layer of the articular capsule of intact adult dogs were also studies. The materials were digested with papain and the released GAGs were fractionated according to Svejcar and Robertson's method. The articular cartilage of non-operated dogs contained, on the average, 65.3% ChS, 13% KS, 5.8% HA and 15.8% GAG of lower molecular weight. The synovial layer of the capsule contained 41.1% HA, 15.3% Ch4-S and Ch6-S, 13.7% DS, 21.7% KS, 2% H and 6% GAG of lower molecular weight. The granulation tissue of the articular surface and that adhering to the capsule show a different developmental course. The former differentiates into cartilage, whereas the latter is simply added to the tissue of the capsule. The two tissues are different in GAG composition as early as on the 7th postoperative day. With time an increase of Ch4-S, Ch6-S and KS can be observed in the tissue of the articular surface. The tissue adhering to the capsule is characterized by a high HA and an increasing DS content. From the study of the composition of GAG's (proportion of GAG building stones) a deeper insight can be obtained into the details of GAG biosynthesis characteristic of cartilage than from the analysis of quantitative data of ChS. In the development of GAG composition characteristic of the tissue, the epimerase reactions participating in GAG biosynthesis, and the mechanisms regulating their activities seem to play a primary role.

Functional adaptation of the articular cartilage.

The effect of prolonged sparing and prolonged loading of the knee-joint of dogs on the glucosamine, sialic acid, sulphate and hydroxyproline contents of the articular cartilage was investigated. (a) In the articular cartilage of the spared leg the amount of sulphate decreased by 24.7%, while the sialic acid content remained unchanged. Hydroxyproline showed a slight decrease. (b) On increased loading, glucosamine augmented by 53% and sialic acid by 32.5%. No appreciable changes occurred in sulphate and hydroxyproline. It is concluded that an increased loading brings about accumulation of glycoproteins while the amount of sulphated glycosaminoglycans does not change appreciably; the glycoprotein content of the spared articular cartilage remains unchanged, whereas the chondroitin sulphate content decreases considerably.