Human osteoarthritis synovial fluid and joint cartilage contain both aggrecanase- and matrix metalloproteinase-generated aggrecan fragments

To identify the major aggrecanase- and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-generated aggrecan fragments in human osteoarthritis (OA) synovial fluid and in human OA joint cartilage.Aggrecan fragments were prepared by CsCl gradient centrifugation. Fragment distributions were compared with aggrecanase-1 (ADAMTS-4) and MMP-3 digested human aggrecan by analysis with neoepitope antibodies and an anti-G1 domain antibody, using Western immuno-blots.The...