Bone morphogenetic proteins are involved in the pathobiology of synovial chondromatosis

Synovial chondromatosis is characterized by the formation of osteocartilaginous nodules (free bodies) under the surface of the synovial membrane in joints. Free bodies and synovium isolated from synovial chondromatosis patients expressed high levels of BMP-2 and BMP-4 mRNAs. BMP-2 stimulated the expression of Sox9, Col2a1, and Aggrecan mRNAs in free-body and synovial cells and that of Runx2, Col1a1, and Osteocalcin mRNAs in the free-body cells only. BMP-2 increased the number of alcian blue-positive colonies in the free-body cell culture but not in the synovial cell culture. Noggin suppressed the expression of Sox9, Col2a1, Aggrecan, and Runx2 mRNAs in both the free-body and synovial cells. Further, it inhibited Osteocalcin expression in the synovial cells. These results suggest that BMPs are involved in the pathobiology of cartilaginous and osteogenic metaplasia observed in synovial chondromatosis.