Revisiting spatial distribution and biochemical composition of calcium-containing crystals in human osteoarthritic articular cartilage

Calcium-containing (CaC) crystals, including basic calcium phosphate (BCP) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPP), are associated with destructive forms of osteoarthritis (OA). We assessed their distribution and biochemical and morphologic features in human knee OA cartilage. We prospectively inc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arthritis research & therapy 2013-01, Vol.15 (5), p.R103-R103
Main Authors: Nguyen, Christelle, Bazin, Dominique, Daudon, Michel, Chatron-Colliet, Aurore, Hannouche, Didier, Bianchi, Arnaud, Côme, Dominique, So, Alexander, Busso, Nathalie, Lioté, Frédéric, Ea, Hang-Korng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Alkaline Phosphatase - genetics
Alkaline Phosphatase - metabolism
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee
Body mass index
Calcium - chemistry
Calcium - metabolism
Calcium compounds
Calcium phosphate
Calcium Phosphates - chemistry
Calcium Phosphates - metabolism
Calcium Pyrophosphate - chemistry
Calcium Pyrophosphate - metabolism
Cartilage, Articular - metabolism
Cartilage, Articular - surgery
Cartilage, Articular - ultrastructure
Cells, Cultured
Chondrocalcinosis - diagnostic imaging
Chondrocalcinosis - genetics
Chondrocalcinosis - metabolism
Chondrocytes - metabolism
Chondrocytes - pathology
Crystallization
Electron microscopy
Female
Gene Expression Profiling
Genetic aspects
Health aspects
Human health and pathology
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Knee Joint - diagnostic imaging
Knee Joint - metabolism
Knee Joint - surgery
Life Sciences
Male
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, Knee - genetics
Osteoarthritis, Knee - metabolism
Osteoarthritis, Knee - surgery
Phosphatases
Phosphate minerals
Phosphate rock
Phosphate Transport Proteins - genetics
Phosphate Transport Proteins - metabolism
Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - genetics
Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - metabolism
Pyrophosphatases - genetics
Pyrophosphatases - metabolism
Radiography
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Rhumatology and musculoskeletal system
Risk factors
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
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Summary:Calcium-containing (CaC) crystals, including basic calcium phosphate (BCP) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPP), are associated with destructive forms of osteoarthritis (OA). We assessed their distribution and biochemical and morphologic features in human knee OA cartilage. We prospectively included 20 patients who underwent total knee replacement (TKR) for primary OA. CaC crystal characterization and identification involved Fourier-transform infra-red spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy of 8 to 10 cartilage zones of each knee, including medial and lateral femoral condyles and tibial plateaux and the intercondyle zone. Differential expression of genes involved in the mineralization process between cartilage with and without calcification was assessed in samples from 8 different patients by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry and histology studies were performed in 6 different patients. Mean (SEM) age and body mass index of patients at the time of TKR was 74.6 (1.7) years and 28.1 (1.6) kg/m², respectively. Preoperative X-rays showed joint calcifications (chondrocalcinosis) in 4 cases only. The medial femoro-tibial compartment was the most severely affected in all cases, and mean (SEM) Kellgren-Lawrence score was 3.8 (0.1). All 20 OA cartilages showed CaC crystals. The mineral content represented 7.7% (8.1%) of the cartilage weight. All patients showed BCP crystals, which were associated with CPP crystals for 8 joints. CaC crystals were present in all knee joint compartments and in a mean of 4.6 (1.7) of the 8 studied areas. Crystal content was similar between superficial and deep layers and between medial and femoral compartments. BCP samples showed spherical structures, typical of biological apatite, and CPP samples showed rod-shaped or cubic structures. The expression of several genes involved in mineralization, including human homolog of progressive ankylosis, plasma-cell-membrane glycoprotein 1 and tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, was upregulated in OA chondrocytes isolated from CaC crystal-containing cartilages. CaC crystal deposition is a widespread phenomenon in human OA articular cartilage involving the entire knee cartilage including macroscopically normal and less weight-bearing zones. Cartilage calcification is associated with altered expression of genes involved in the mineralisation process.
ISSN:1478-6354
1478-6362
DOI:10.1186/ar4283