Cyclic nucleotides and somatomedin action in cartilage.

The role of cyclic nucleotides was evaluated in the stimulation of cartilage metabolism by somatomedin-C (Sm-C). The effects of cAMP and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) analogs on matrix synthesis were evaluated. The effects of Sm-C on tissue concentrations of these cyclic nucleotides were investigated. Likewise, the direct effects of Sm-C on the activities of cartilage adenylate cyclase, guanylate cyclase, and phosphodiesterase were determined. We found that tissue concentrations of cAMP in cartilage declined rapidly during organ culture, despite the presence of serum or Sm-C, cGMP concentrations in cartilage declined rapidly during control incubations but were augmented significantly at 30 and 60 min of incubation with the addition of serum or Sm-C. Thereafter, cGMP concentrations declined toward the levels of incubated control cartilages. Sm-C had no effect on phosphodiesterase activity. N6-Monobutyryl cAMP stimulated sulfate uptake, but dibutyryl cGMP did not. Sm-C did not stimulate adenylate cyclase in purified plasma membranes from chondrocytes, whereas it stimulated both plasma membrane and cytosol guanylate cyclase at concentrations of Sm-C as low as 10(-12) M. These data would indicate that cAMP is not the intracellular second messenger for Sm-C in cartilage. The data for cGMP are provocative and suggest it as a candidate for a second messenger mediating a portion of Sm's stimulation of cartilage metabolism.