Metabolic and structural changes in newly synthesized proteoglycans induced by implantation of a polyethylene sheet in the rabbit knee joint

A sheet of polyethylene was surgically implanted in a rabbit right patello-femoral joint and changes in the structure and chemical composition of newly synthesized articular cartilage proteoglycans (PGs) were studied 1 month after surgery. The articular cartilage from implanted and sham-operated control knee joints was labeled in vitro with 3H-glycine and 35S-SO4 and then extracted with 4 M guanidinium chloride (GuHCl) solution. Labeled extracts were analyzed by dissociative CsCl gradient centrifugation and by Sepharose CL-2B column chromatography. The labeled glycosaminoglycan side chains were analyzed by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography and specific enzymatic digestions. Compared with sham-operation, the trochlear articular cartilage of operated joints incorporated more 35S-SO4 and 3H-glycine into newly synthesized PGs and proteins. It also synthesized a higher proportion of extractable, hydrodynamically large and high density 35S-PG monomers with increased proportion of molecules, able to interact with exogeneous hyaluronan (HA). The fibro-cartilagenous 'osteo-chondrophytic' spurs, compared with trochlear hyaline articular cartilages, incorporated less 35S-SO4 and 3H-glycine and synthesized less extractable high density 35S-PG monomers able to interact with exogenous HA. Their 35S-GAG side chains were more heterogeneous and segregated into three distinct peaks as shown by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The results of the present studies demonstrate that, in response to the implant, there was an increase in the biosynthetic capacity of chondrocytes which synthetized larger PG monomers able to interact wih HA.