Comparison of cathepsins K and S expression within the rheumatoid and osteoarthritic synovium

Abstract

The presence of cathepsin K polypeptide in synovial fibroblasts and macrophage-like cells in normal, OA, and RA synovia suggests a constitutive expression of this protease and a role in synovial remodeling. The comparable increase in cathepsin K expression after stimulation of RA- and OA-derived synovial fibroblasts with IL-1 beta and TNF alpha further suggests that the expression of cathepsin K is independent of cellular alterations leading to the invasive phenotype of RA-synovial fibroblasts. However, the overexpression of cathepsin K in RA synovia due to an increase in the number of cathepsin K-expressing cells identifies this enzyme as a candidate protease for the pathologic degradation of articular cartilage. Cathepsin S expression in macrophage-like synoviocytes suggests dual activity in antigen presentation and matrix degradation in the inflamed synovia.