While pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is almost exclusively caused by cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) mutations, many patients identified with the PSACH phenotype do not have this mutation, suggesting gene and locus heterogeneity. In order to further characterize this entity, we studied 32 clinically and radiographically diagnosed PSACH patients, among 19 families. COMP and collagen (Co...

Objective. To make individualised decisions regarding treatment is one of the most important challenges in clinical practise, and identification of sensitive and specific markers of prognosis is an important research question. The main objective of this study was to evaluate relationships between the level of autoantibodies, radiographic changes and laboratory markers of bone, and cartilage des...

There are still many challenges to acquire the optimal integration of biomedical materials with the surrounding tissues. Gene coatings on the surface of biomaterials may offer an effective approach to solve the problem. In order to investigate the gene multilayers mediated differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), gene functionalized films of hyaluronic acid (HA) and lipid-DNA complex (...

OBJECTIVE To analyse the role of serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) levels in the differential diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS This case-control study analysed the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with RA and healthy control subjects. The diagnostic ability of COMP for RA was evaluated by comparing it with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide anti...

Tendons can be considered in two functional groups, those contributing to energetics of locomotion and those acting solely to position the limb. The energy-storing tendons in both human and equine athletes have a high frequency of injury with similar pathophysiology. In previous studies, high-intensity exercise appears to induce a disruption of the matrix rather than functional adaptation in ad...

BACKGROUND Galectin-3 is expressed in the synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly at sites of joint destruction. OBJECTIVE To explore the possibilities that galectin-3 is induced either by proinflammatory cytokines or by adhesion to cartilage components. METHODS Cell culture plates were coated with fibronectin, collagens I-VI, or cartilage oligomeric matrix ...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), interleukin-16 (IL-16) and different grades of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in Malaysian subjects. METHODS Ninety subjects were recruited comprising 30 with Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade 2 KOA, 27 with K-L grade 3 KOA, 7 with grade 4 KOA, and 30 healthy controls. All subj...