Inhibition of cartilage proteoglycan release by a specific inactivator of cathepsin b and an inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases. evidence for two converging pathways of chondrocyte‐mediated proteoglycan degradation

Abstract

Cathepsin B is implicated in rHuIL-1 alpha-stimulated loss of cartilage proteoglycan. Its lack of involvement in retinoic acid-stimulated proteoglycan release suggests the existence of at least 2 pathways of cartilage proteoglycan breakdown, which may converge at the activation of a matrix prometalloproteinase.