Objective. To analyze enzymes involved in joint damage by simultaneous investigation of glycosidases and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in patients with various joint diseases. In joint diseases, the major clinical symptoms and disability of patients are caused by an irreversible destruction of hyaline cartilage. Enzymes capable of degrading extracellular matrix components (collagen and aggrecan) and concomitantly exposing chondrocytes to a variety of cytotoxic and/or apoptosis-inducing factors are considered to be the major effector molecules in cartilage degradation.
Methods. Activities of glycosidases (-DRecently, significant advances have been made in our understanding of joint destruction and the mechanism of proteolytic cleavage of cartilage. Active proteases are currently implicated in the destructive processes and include matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the ADAM family (1), the ADAM-TS family (2), and serine proteases (elastase, cathepsins, and granzymes) (3-5). Of the 4 groups of MMPs, collagenase (MMP-1 in particular) appears to be responsible for the degradation of interstitial collagens. The gelatinases (including MMP-2 and MMP-9) degrade the denatured form of collagens, thus acting in synergy with MMP-1. The stromelysins (including MMP-3) have a broader substrate specificity for non-connective tissue components.