Proteomic changes in articular cartilage of human endemic osteoarthritis in China.

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a chronic endemic osteochondropathy with unclear pathogenesis. It is a degenerative disease similar to osteoarthritis, but with different manifestations of cartilage damage. The aim of this investigation was to show the protein changes in KBD cartilage and to identify the candidate proteins in order to understand the pathogenesis of the disease. Proteins were extracted from the media of primary cell cultures of KBD and normal chondrocytes, and separated by two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE). MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis revealed statistically significant differences in 27 proteins from KBD chondrocyte cultures, which consisted of 17 up-regulated and ten down-regulated proteins. The results were further validated by Western blot analysis. The proteins identified are mainly involved in cellular redox homeostasis and stress response (MnSOD, Hsp27, Peroxiredoxin-1, and Cofilin-1), glycolysis (PGK-1, PGM-1, α-enolase), and cell motility and cytoskeletal organization (Actin, Calponin-2, and Keratin). These KBD-associated proteins indicate that cytoskeletal remodeling, glycometabolism, and oxidative stress are abnormal in KBD articular cartilage.

[The tear proteomics analysis of conjunctivochalasis].

OBJECTIVE: To analysis tear proteins by using shotgun strategy, and to study pathogenesis mechanism of conjunctivochalasis by comparing tear proteins between the conjunctivochalasis and normal body. METHODS: Tears were obtained from 8 conjunctivochalasis cases and 8 normal controls. Fifteen microliters of tears was collected by microcapillary tubes from each eye. Shotgun strategy was used for tear protein analysis. Trypsin digestion in-solution, separation of peptide mixture by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatograph (RP-HPLC) followed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) identification and bioinformation analysis were used in this study. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-six proteins were excised in conjunctivochalasis patients and 352 proteins in the normal controls, and among them 119 proteins were the same. The functions of tear proteins were classified with GOA, which found some apoptosis regulation proteins and apoptosis related proteins and inflammatory response related proteins in conjuntivochalasis but not in normal controls group. Defensin was also found in conjuntivochalasis. CONCLUSION: Shotgun strategy can separate and analysis tear proteins effectively, which provide a new method for tear protein component of conjunctivochalasis. The special component in conjunctivochalasis tear show conjunctivochalasis maybe related to cell apoptosis and inflammatory.