Bioactivity in an aggrecan 32-mer fragment is mediated via toll-like receptor 2

Abstract

Objective To determine whether an aggrecan 32-mer fragment derived from dual ADAMTS and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) cleavage in the aggrecan interglobular domain was bioactive and, if so, to elucidate its mechanism of action. Methods Mouse primary chondrocytes, synovial fibroblasts, or peritoneal macrophages, human primary chondrocytes, and cells or cell lines from myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)-deficient and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2)-deficient mice were stimulated with synthetic mouse 32-mer peptide, human 32-mer peptide, a 32-mer scrambled peptide, or native, glycosylated 32-mer peptide. Cells stimulated with 32-mer peptide were analyzed for changes in messenger RNA (mRNA)..