Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effects of mycotoxin moniliformin (MON) on the metabolism of aggrecan and type II collagen in human chondrocytes in vitro and the relationship between MON and Kashin-Beck disease (KBD). Methods: Human chondrocytes were isolated and cultured on bone matrix gelatin to form an artificial cartilage model in vitro with or without MON toxin. Cell viability was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The expression of aggrecan and type II collagen in the cartilage was determined using immunocytochemical staining. Results: MON toxin inhibited chondrocyte viability in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. MON reduced aggrecan and type II collagen syntheses in the tissue-engineered cartilage. MON also increased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), MMP-13, BC4 epitopes, and CD44 in cartilages. However, the expression of 3B3(−) epitopes in cartilages was inhibited by MON. Selenium partially alleviated the damage of aggrecan induced by MON toxin. Conclusion: MON toxin promoted the catabolism of aggrecan and type II collagen in human chondrocytes.

Key words: Chondrocytes, Moniliformin, Selenium, Aggrecan, Collagen, Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), CD44, Kashin-Beck disease

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