Reversible inhibition of chondrogenic expression by certain hyaluronidase preparations

Embryonic chick chondrocytes were cultured in the presence or absence of different preparations of testicular hyaluronidase. This treatment inhibited the accumulation of cartilage matrix as indicated by phase-contrast microscopy, by Alcian green staining, and by accumulation of 35S-labeled material. In addition, most preparations of testicular hyaluronidase caused a conversion of the cells to a fibroblastic phenotype characterized by a faster growth rate and the synthesis of type-I collagen. This effect was found to be concentration-dependent and was not observed at the minimum concentration of hyaluronidase required to inhibit matrix accumulation. Since two more highly purified hyaluronidase preparations prevented matrix accumulation but did not cause the fibroblastic transformation, it is likely that the conversion to a fibroblastic phenotype is caused by a contaminant in the other hyaluronidase preparations.