Autori: 3. Takacs-Buia L., Iordachel C., Efimov N., Caloianu M., Montreuil J., Bratosin D

Editorial: Cytometry Part B (Clinical Cytometry) , 74B, p.356-362, 2008.

Rezumat:

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate by flow cytometry cellular
viability and apoptosis of human chondrocytes isolated from osteoarthritic
cartilage and to correlate replicative senescence with apoptosis of these cells.
Methods: To understand the mechanisms underlying the process of cell death in
cartilage destruction, we investigated by flow cytometry cellular viability (Cell
viability calcein-AM assay) and apoptosis (Light scattering properties of
chondrocytes, study of chondrocyte death using Annexin-V-FITC and propidium
iodide double-labelling, caspase-3 activity determination) of human chondrocytes
isolated from osteoarthritic and non-osteoarthritic cartilage. Senescent cells were
characterized using the senescence-associated-
-galactosidase marker (SA-
-Gal
marker) by staining with chromogenic substrate (X-Gal) to produce blue
coloration of SA-
-Gal-positive cells and microscopy analysis.
Results: The results we obtained show that between 25 and 40 per cent of
chondrocytes were in apoptosis and all of them were SA-
-Gal-positive.
Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the death of osteoarthritic
chondrocytes is an apoptotic phenomenon which is preceded by an accelerated
mechanism of replicative senescence.

Cuvinte cheie: Osteoarthritis; Chondrocytes; Apoptosis; Replicative senescence; Flow-cytometry