Abstract Number: 40 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Syndecan-4 Regulates Activation of WNT Signaling in Chondrocytes
Background/Purpose: Blockade of syndecan-4 (Sdc4) signaling protects mice from cartilage degradation in experimentally induced osteoarthritis (OA). Cartilage damage results in changes of chondrocyte phenotype induced…Abstract Number: 41 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Long-Distance Physical Connections Between Chondrocytes; Cell-to-Cell Communication within Articular Cartilage
Background/Purpose: It is believed that chondrocytes in cartilage do not connect each other, as they are isolated inside their lacunae separated from each other by…Abstract Number: 42 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Role of Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1 Alpha Through Smad and MAPK Pathway On Endochondral Ossification
Background/Purpose: The main cellular events of articular chondrocytes during osteoarthritis are a loss of the traits as permanent cartilage, and a transition to hypertrophic chondrocytes…Abstract Number: 43 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Serum Amyloid A Level in Knee Osteoarthritis: Systemic and/or Local Production and Pro-Inflammatory Properties On Human Chondrocytes and Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes
Background/Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease frequently seen in obese patients, but the relationship might be more linked to fat than to weight. A-SAA…Abstract Number: 44 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Inhibition of WNT Signaling Pathway by Sclerostin Maintains Cartilage Homeostasis
Background/Purpose: Cartilage homeostasis is regulated by several mechanisms that influence the anabolic and catabolic tissue balance. Among them, the local activation of Wnt signaling pathway…Abstract Number: 45 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
The Effects of Apremilast On Osteoclasts, Osteoblasts, and Osteocytes
Background/Purpose: Apremilast (APR), a small molecule specific inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4, works intracellularly to modulate pro- and anti-inflammatory mediator production in both immune and non-immune…Abstract Number: 6 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
The Effect of Hydrogen Sulfide Donors On Inflammatory Mediators in Human Articular Osteoarthritic Chondrocytes
Background/Purpose: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has recently been proposed as an endogenous mediator of inflammation in several pathology models. The aim of this work was to…Abstract Number: 7 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Lamin A Deregulation in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promotes an Impairment in Their Chondrogenic Potential and Imbalance in Their Response to Oxidative Stress
Background/Purpose: Previous work by our group and others indicated that an accumulation of lamin A (LMNA) was associated with the osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocyte phenotype. Mutations…Abstract Number: 8 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Supercharged Sox9 Protein Induces Chondrogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Background/Purpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by progressive breakdown of articular cartilage. Regeneration of cartilage has been an attractive approach to OA therapy. Sox9 is a…Abstract Number: 9 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Function of the Chondrocyte PI-3 Kinase Akt Signaling Pathway Is Stimulus Dependent
Background/Purpose: Previous studies have shown that activation of the chondrocyte PI-3K-Akt signaling pathway by IGF-1 promotes chondrocyte survival and matrix synthesis. However, other studies have…Abstract Number: 10 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Fibronectin Fragment Induces Procatabolic Effects Through TLR-2 Signaling Pathway in Human Articular Chondrocytes
Background/Purpose: Fibronectin fragments (FN-fs) are increased in the synovial fluid of osteoarthritis patients and have a potent chondrolytic effect. However, little is known about the…Abstract Number: 11 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Cartilage Tissue Engineering Using Collagen Scaffolds and Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Background/Purpose: The aim of this study was to obtain cartilage-like constructs by chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) grown on different…Abstract Number: 12 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Articular Cartilage Expresses the IL-15 Receptor Alpha-Chain and Responds to IL-15 with Increased Matrix Metalloproteinase Release
Background/Purpose: IL-15, known for its effects on survival of lymphocyte subsets, plays a role in synovitis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. We reported that IL-15 is also…Abstract Number: 13 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
Visfatin/Nampt in Osteoarthritis: Sites of Production in Human Joints and Role of Its Enzymatic Activity
Background/Purpose: The role of cytokines produced by obese-derived adipose tissue, namely adipokines, in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA) is now well established. We recently suggested…Abstract Number: 14 • 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
EPAC1 Activation Is Required for NFkB Nuclear Translocation and Osteoclast Differentiation
Background/Purpose: Previous work demonstrated that one mechanism by which bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclast differentiation and function is via inhibition of Rap1A isoprenylation and, as a result,…