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Updated: May 20, 2026

A 3D System for Culturing Human Articular Chondrocytes in Synovial Fluid
Published on: January 31, 2012
Hyaluronan regulates PPARγ and inflammatory responses in IL-1β-stimulated human chondrosarcoma cells, a model for
Chi-Ching Chang1, Ming-Shium Hsieh, Say-Tsung Liao
1Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract:
The carbohydrate polymer, hyaluronan, is a major component of the extracellular matrix in animal tissues. Exogenous hyaluronan has been used to treat osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease involving inflammatory changes. The underlying mechanisms of hyaluronan in OA are not fully understood. Pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-1β downregulates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and increases expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which are responsible for the degeneration of articular cartilage. The effects of low- and high-molecular-weight hyaluronan (oligo-HA and HMW-HA) on the inflammatory genes were determined in human SW-1353 chondrosarcoma cells. HMW-HA antagonized the effects of IL-1β by increasing PPARγ and decreasing cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, MMP-1, and MMP-13 levels. It promoted Akt, but suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling, indicating anti-inflammatory effects. In contrast, the cells had overall opposite responses to oligo-HA. In conclusion, HMW-HA and oligo-HA exerted differential inflammatory responses via PPARγ in IL-1β-treated chondrosarcoma cells.
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