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Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancements in Cell and Tissue Engineering for Tendon Repair
Published on: March 1, 2024
Expression of type I collagen and tenascin C is regulated by actin polymerization through MRTF in dedifferentiated
Justin Parreno1, Sneha Raju2, Mortah Nabavi Niaki3
1CIHR-BioEngineering of Skeletal Tissues Team, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
Abstract:
This study examined actin regulation of fibroblast matrix genes in dedifferentiated chondrocytes. We demonstrated that dedifferentiated chondrocytes exhibit increased actin polymerization, nuclear localization of myocardin related transcription factor (MRTF), increased type I collagen (col1) and tenascin C (Tnc) gene expression, and decreased Sox9 gene expression. Induction of actin depolymerization by latrunculin treatment or cell rounding, reduced MRTF nuclear localization, repressed col1 and Tnc expression, and increased Sox9 gene expression in dedifferentiated chondrocytes. Treatment of passaged chondrocytes with MRTF inhibitor repressed col1 and Tnc expression, but did not affect Sox9 expression. Our results show that actin polymerization regulates fibroblast matrix gene expression through MRTF in passaged chondrocytes.
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