Melatonin enhances cartilage matrix synthesis by porcine articular chondrocytes

作者：Pei Ming^*; He Fan; Wei Lei; Rawson Ashley

来源：Journal of Pineal Research, 2009, 46(2): 181-187.

DOI：10.1111/j.1600-079X.2008.00646.x

• chondrocyte
• matrix synthesis
• melatonin
• osteoarthritis
• transforming growth factor beta

To develop a minimally invasive preventive measure for early osteoarthritis, the effect of melatonin on cartilage matrix synthesis of articular chondrocytes was evaluated in vitro in a pellet culture system. The chondrogenic markers were assessed using histology, TaqMan((R)) polymerase chain reaction, and western blot. Our results show that melatonin treatment yielded chondrocyte-pellets with a higher expression of chondrogenic markers consisting of collagen II, Sox 9, and aggrecan at both the mRNA and protein levels. A hypertrophic marker, collagen X, remained low. Moreover, up-regulation of internal transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta 1) expression was observed in the melatonin-treated cells. Our data indicate, for the first time, that the administration of melatonin enhances cartilage matrix synthesis of articular chondrocytes in a serum-containing pellet culture system, likely through the TGF-beta signal pathway. Melatonin may prove to be a highly valuable addition to current therapeutic models for degenerative cartilage repair.

• 出版日期2009-3