Progressive polyarthritis induced in BALB/c mice by aggrecan from normal and osteoarthritic human cartilage

Abstract

Predominantly G1 domain-containing fragments of aggrecan accumulate in OA cartilage, and these are the fragments which induce arthritis in BALB/c mice. Arthritis induction is highly specific for aggrecan epitopes and dictated by the genetic background of the BALB/c strain.