ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), and heparin (HEP) on chondrogenesis of murine chondrogenic cell line (ATDC5) cells and the maintenance of murine articular cartilagein vitro.MethodsATDC5 and articular cartilage tissue explant were cultured in the medium containing different sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Cell proliferation, differentiation, cartilage formation, and mechanism were observed using cell proliferation assay, Alcian blue staining, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western blot, respectively.ResultsResults showed that HEP and DS primarily activated the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signal pathway, while CS primarily activated the protein kinase B (AKT) signal pathway, further promoted ATDC5 cell proliferation and matrix production, and increased Sox9, Col2a1, and Aggrecan expression.ConclusionThis study investigated the differences and mechanisms of different sulfated glycosaminoglycans in chondrogenesis and cartilage homeostasis maintenance. HEP promotes cartilage formation and maintains the normal state of cartilage tissuein vitro, while CS plays a more effective role in the regeneration of damaged cartilage tissue.
