This study aims to apply gene expression profiling technology to gain insight into the molecular regulation of mesenchymal chondrogenesis.
The experimental system consists of micromass cultures of C3H10T1/2 cells, a murine multipotential embryonic cell line, treated with the chondroinductive growth factor, bone morphogenetic factor-2 (BMP-2). In this system, chondrogenic differentiation characterized by both morphological changes and cartilage matrix gene expression has been shown to be completely dependent upon BMP-2 treatment and the high cell plating density of micromass cultures. To identify candidate genes that may have key functional roles in chondrogenesis, we have applied subtractive hybridization to isolate genes whose expression is significantly up- or down-regulated during chondrogenesis. RNA was isolated from micromass cultures treated with BMP-2 for 24 h and analysed for representational differences by means of a subtractive hybridization screening method.
Sixteen different genes were identified whose expression was up-regulated between two- and 12-fold by B,P-2, and twelve different genes were identified whose expression was down-regulated between two- and seven-fold by BMP-2.
The potential of this screening methodology to identify new BMP-2 regulated genes is suggested by the fact that a majority of the identified genes are indeed novel. Identification and characterization of these genes should provide insight as to how chondrogenesis is regulated and also should provide important new markers for the study of osteoarthritis.