The structure of aggrecan fragments in human synovial fluid : Evidence that aggrecanase mediates cartilage degradation in inflammatory joint disease, joint injury, and osteoarthritis
Objective. To determine the proteolytic fragmentation patterns and N-terminal sequence of aggrecan fragments in human synovial fluid from patients with inflammatory arthritides, joint injury, or osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. Knee synovial fluid was obtained from patients with joint injury, OA, acute pyrophosphate arthritis (pseudogout), reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or juvenile rheumato