Cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) for tissue engineering of articular cartilage – From a developmental model to first results of tissue and scaffold expression
Affiliations: REPAIRlab, Institute of Pathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany | Institute of Materials Science and Technologies, Technical University Berlin, Germany | Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Department of Experimental Dentistry/Oral Biology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Germany | Co.don AG, Research and Development, Molecular Medicine, Biotechnology, Tissue Engineering, Teltow, Germany | Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany | Department of Paediatrics, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. Christoph Brochhausen, REPAIRlab, Institute of Pathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Langenbeckstraße 1, D-55101 Mainz, Germany. Tel.: +49 (0) 6131 17 73 07, Fax: +49 (0) 6131 17 47 73 07; E-mail: brochhausen@pathologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de.
Abstract: Tissue engineering of articular cartilage remains an ongoing challenge. Since tissue regeneration recapitulates ontogenetic processes the growth plate can be regarded as an innovative model to target suitable signalling molecules and growth factors for the tissue engineering of cartilage. In the present study we analysed the expression of cyclooxygenases (COX) in a short-term chondrocyte culture in gelatin-based scaffolds and in articular cartilage of rats and compared it with that in the growth plate. Our results demonstrate the strong cellular expression of COX-1 but only a focal weak expression of COX-2 in the seeded scaffolds. Articular cartilage of rats expresses homogeneously COX-1 and COX-2 with the exception of the apical cell layer. Our findings indicate a functional role of COX in the metabolism of articular chondrocytes. The expression of COX in articular cartilage and in the seeded scaffolds opens interesting perspectives to improve the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes in scaffold materials by addition of specific receptor ligands of the COX system.
