IngPLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0119816 March 30,10 /Cyclic Tensile Strain and Chondrocyte Metabolismsession, mRNA levels were elevated significantly [46], indicating a certain delay due to the process of transcription. Also, one can assume that loading regimes under 60 min might stimulate cells to express collagen II or aggrecan mRNA, but it can only be measured at later time points. The reviewed publications further showed that collagen II and aggrecan mRNA levels were increased when loading lasted between 3 or 6 h [13,14,37] (Table 3). Hence, when loading exceeds 3 h, the elevated levels can be measured immediately after the loading. Most likely, the detected transcripts then result from early loading. The response at loading durations of 3 and 6 h, however, was strain magnitude dependent: strain magnitudes of 7 did not change mRNA levels [33,36,38] while higher strain magnitudes (10 and 24 ) elevated collagen II and aggrecan mRNA levels [13,14,37]. At a loading duration of 12 h, differing responses in collagen II mRNA were observed [13,26,33,36?8] (Table 3, Fig. 3). Aggrecan mRNA levels of cells loaded for 12 h were not altered compared to the levels of unloaded Imatinib (Mesylate) chemical information chondrocytes [13,26,33,36?8]. Thereafter (16?2 h of loading), cell response reversed and mRNA levels of both proteins were mostly down-regulated [13,26,33,36,37] (Table 3, Fig. 3). Collagen II and Proteoglycans–Protein Level. Total collagen synthesis was only measured in two studies and both showed an increase in response to 12 and 24 h CTS [23,25] (Table 4).Honda et al. (2000), however, observed a decreased staining intensity for collagen II in immunostained chondrocytes after high magnitude tensile strain (23 ) for 12 h. The decrease was particularly obvious in the middle of the wells, the area which was subjected to the greatest load [34]. More information is available about the proteoglycan synthesis in response to CTS. One study showed that high magnitude tensile strain (23 ) at 0.5 Hz decreased total proteoglycan synthesis after 3 and 6 h of loading, but the differences in unloaded controls was abrogated after 12 h loading [34]. This documents a possible desensitization of the cells to the altered get WP1066 mechanical environment. Ueki et al. (2008) demonstrated that low frequency (0.03 Hz) did not affect the proteoglycan synthesis, whereas higher frequencies (0.5 and 2.5 Hz) increased the synthesis of proteoglycans. After mechanical loading with a duration of 24 h, diverging results were obtained which may not only be attributed to different loading protocols, but also to different coatings of the culture plates (Table 4). In particular, Matsukawa et al. (2004) observed that on fibronectin coated plates, proteoglycans increased. Whereas on collagen I coated culture plates, proteoglycans were decreased [31,47]. On pronectin coated plates, no changes between unloaded cells and cells under CTS were observed [48]. The differences might be explained by the integrin-mediated attachment of cells to the coated protein [49]. Integrins transmit signals between the cell and the ECM during mechanical loading [50]. It is known that chondrocytes express different integrins in response to different coatings [51]. Therefore, on different coatings, the integrin-mediated effects might change cell behavior and protein synthesis in response to CTS. However, when loading lasted longer than 24 h, proteoglycan synthesis was reduced regardless of protein coating of strain magnitude [27,52,53].IngPLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0119816 March 30,10 /Cyclic Tensile Strain and Chondrocyte Metabolismsession, mRNA levels were elevated significantly [46], indicating a certain delay due to the process of transcription. Also, one can assume that loading regimes under 60 min might stimulate cells to express collagen II or aggrecan mRNA, but it can only be measured at later time points. The reviewed publications further showed that collagen II and aggrecan mRNA levels were increased when loading lasted between 3 or 6 h [13,14,37] (Table 3). Hence, when loading exceeds 3 h, the elevated levels can be measured immediately after the loading. Most likely, the detected transcripts then result from early loading. The response at loading durations of 3 and 6 h, however, was strain magnitude dependent: strain magnitudes of 7 did not change mRNA levels [33,36,38] while higher strain magnitudes (10 and 24 ) elevated collagen II and aggrecan mRNA levels [13,14,37]. At a loading duration of 12 h, differing responses in collagen II mRNA were observed [13,26,33,36?8] (Table 3, Fig. 3). Aggrecan mRNA levels of cells loaded for 12 h were not altered compared to the levels of unloaded chondrocytes [13,26,33,36?8]. Thereafter (16?2 h of loading), cell response reversed and mRNA levels of both proteins were mostly down-regulated [13,26,33,36,37] (Table 3, Fig. 3). Collagen II and Proteoglycans–Protein Level. Total collagen synthesis was only measured in two studies and both showed an increase in response to 12 and 24 h CTS [23,25] (Table 4).Honda et al. (2000), however, observed a decreased staining intensity for collagen II in immunostained chondrocytes after high magnitude tensile strain (23 ) for 12 h. The decrease was particularly obvious in the middle of the wells, the area which was subjected to the greatest load [34]. More information is available about the proteoglycan synthesis in response to CTS. One study showed that high magnitude tensile strain (23 ) at 0.5 Hz decreased total proteoglycan synthesis after 3 and 6 h of loading, but the differences in unloaded controls was abrogated after 12 h loading [34]. This documents a possible desensitization of the cells to the altered mechanical environment. Ueki et al. (2008) demonstrated that low frequency (0.03 Hz) did not affect the proteoglycan synthesis, whereas higher frequencies (0.5 and 2.5 Hz) increased the synthesis of proteoglycans. After mechanical loading with a duration of 24 h, diverging results were obtained which may not only be attributed to different loading protocols, but also to different coatings of the culture plates (Table 4). In particular, Matsukawa et al. (2004) observed that on fibronectin coated plates, proteoglycans increased. Whereas on collagen I coated culture plates, proteoglycans were decreased [31,47]. On pronectin coated plates, no changes between unloaded cells and cells under CTS were observed [48]. The differences might be explained by the integrin-mediated attachment of cells to the coated protein [49]. Integrins transmit signals between the cell and the ECM during mechanical loading [50]. It is known that chondrocytes express different integrins in response to different coatings [51]. Therefore, on different coatings, the integrin-mediated effects might change cell behavior and protein synthesis in response to CTS. However, when loading lasted longer than 24 h, proteoglycan synthesis was reduced regardless of protein coating of strain magnitude [27,52,53].