OBJECTIVE: To compare @entity7379 gene expression between @entity1 osteoarthritic and healthy cartilage and to examine whether expression is regulated by the promoter DNA methylation of the gene. METHODS: @entity1 cartilage samples were collected from @entity1 undergoing total hip/knee joint replacement surgery due to @entity571 ( @entity571 ), and from @entity1 with hip @entity174 as controls. DNA/RNA was extracted from the cartilage tissues. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to measure gene expression, and Sequenom EpiTyper was used to assay DNA methylation. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the methylation and expression levels between @entity571 cases and controls. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was calculated to examine the association between the methylation and gene expression. RESULTS: A total of 58 @entity1 with @entity571 (36 @entity1 , 22 @entity1 ; mean age 64    9 yrs) and 55 controls (43 @entity1 , 12 @entity1 ; mean age 79    10 yrs) were studied. @entity7379 expression was on average 83% higher in @entity571 cartilage than in controls (p = 0.0005). No difference was observed for DNA methylation levels in the @entity7379 promoter region between @entity571 cases and controls. No correlation was found between @entity7379 expression and promoter DNA methylation. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that @entity7379 is significantly overexpressed in @entity571 . This overexpression cannot be explained by DNA methylation in the promoter region. The results suggest that the transforming growth factor-b/ @entity7379 pathway may be overactivated in @entity571 cartilage and has potential in developing targeted therapies for @entity571 .

@entity7379 Is Upregulated in XXXX Osteoarthritic Cartilage Independent of the Promoter DNA Methylation.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'human', 'patients', 'Human', 'men'] @entity174 :: ('MESH:D050723', 'Disease') :: ['fractures'] @entity571 :: ('MESH:D010003', 'Disease') :: ['primary osteoarthritis', 'OA'] @entity7379 :: ('4088', 'Gene') :: ['SMAD3']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['Human']
