Production of active oxygen species by isolated human chondrocytes

The ability of isolated human chondrocytes to produce active oxygen species has been investigated. The two methods for determining H2O2 and hydroxyl radicals (.OH) production were, by a fluorimetric method (production of dichlorofluorescein from a precursor in the presence of horseradish peroxidase and H2O2) and by a chromatographic method (measurement of ethylene production from gamma-methiol-keto-butyric acid after .OH attack). Chondrocytes were tested, both with and without activation by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA: 10(-6) M), in the presence of Ca2+ (1 x 10(-4) M) and Mg2+ (2 x 10(-4) M) or after variable periods of anoxia under nitrogen (4 to 12 h) followed by reoxygenation (with 95% O2, 5% CO2). Under these experimental conditions, the PMA-excited chondrocytes produced from 80 to 180 nmol of hydrogen peroxide per 1 x 10(6) cells and chondrocytes subjected to anoxia-reoxygenation produced up to 1700 nmol H2O2 per 1 x 10(6) cells. The hydroxyl radical production by PMA or anoxia-reoxygenation excited cells reached 600% of the production of non-excited cells and 1300% when they were subjected to successive stimulations by PMA and anoxia-reoxygenation. The possible pathological significance of these observations is discussed. The results indicate that stimulated human chondrocytes are capable of producing active oxygen species which could play a major role in joint inflammation and cartilage damage.