Innovative Three-Dimensional Microscopic Analysis of Uremic Growth Plate Discloses Alterations in the Process of Chondrocyte Hypertrophy: Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2020-06, Vol.21 (12), p.4519
• Main Authors: Fernández-Iglesias, Ángela, Fuente, Rocío, Gil-Peña, Helena, Alonso-Durán, Laura, García-Bengoa, María, Santos, Fernando, López, José Manuel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenine; Animals; Bones; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell size; Chloride transport; chondrocyte; Chondrocytes; Chondrocytes - metabolism; Chondrocytes - physiology; Chondrogenesis - drug effects; chronic kidney disease; CKD; Cytoplasm; Dimensional analysis; Enlargement; Extracellular matrix; Female; Growth Hormone - metabolism; Growth Hormone - pharmacology; Growth hormones; Growth plate; Growth Plate - drug effects; Growth Plate - metabolism; Human Growth Hormone - metabolism; Hypertrophy; Hypertrophy - drug therapy; Hypertrophy - metabolism; Image quality; Kidney diseases; Maturation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - complications; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - physiopathology; Three dimensional analysis; Uremia; Uremia - metabolism
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124519

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) alters the morphology and function of the growth plate (GP) of long bones by disturbing chondrocyte maturation. GP chondrocytes were analyzed in growth-retarded young rats with CKD induced by adenine intake (AD), control rats fed ad libitum (C) or pair-fed with the AD group (PF), and CKD rats treated with growth hormone (ADGH). In order to study the alterations in the process of GP maturation, we applied a procedure recently described by our group to obtain high-quality three-dimensional images of whole chondrocytes that can be used to analyze quantitative parameters like cytoplasm density, cell volume, and shape. The final chondrocyte volume was found to be decreased in AD rats, but GH treatment was able to normalize it. The pattern of variation in the cell cytoplasm density suggests that uremia could be causing a delay to the beginning of the chondrocyte hypertrophy process. Growth hormone treatment appears to be able to compensate for this disturbance by triggering an early chondrocyte enlargement that may be mediated by Nkcc1 action, an important membrane cotransporter in the GP chondrocyte enlargement.