Versican and ADAMTSs are involved in bone development M. Nakamura a,b, * , I. Takahashi c , S. Echigo a , Y. Sasano b a Division of Oral Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Japan b Division of Craniofacial Development and Regeneration, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Japan c Division of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Japan Abstract. ADAMTSs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 motifs) constitute a family of extracellular proteases which are implicated in cleaving the protein versican. The process of bone development was divided into the beginning of osteogenesis, woven bone, and lamellar bone stages. Versican protein was abundant in the woven bone matrix, but decreased in the lamellar bone matrix. Versican mRNA was prominent in some osteoblasts with corresponding localization of the cognate protein. The temporal and spatial mRNA expression pattern of ADAMTS1, 4, and 5 was comparable with that of versican. These results suggest that woven bone rich in versican alters into lamellar bone containing little versican during bone development in both mandibles and hind limbs, where some osteoblasts may be involved in production as well as degradation of versican, by secreting ADAMTS1, 4, and 5. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Versican; ADAMTS; Bone; Development; Extracellular matrix 1. Introduction The extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is achieved by both production and degradation of ECM molecules during bone development [1,2]. ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 motifs) is a family of extracellular proteases. ADAMTS1, 4, and 5 are known as proteases responsible for cleaving aggrecan, which is a major proteoglycan in cartilage [3–5]. These ADAMTSs are also reported to 0531-5131/ D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ics.2005.06.015 * Corresponding author. Division of Oral Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Japan. Tel.: +81 22 717 8395; fax: +81 22 717 8399. E-mail address: yamaguchi@mandible.dent.tohoku.ac.jp (M. Nakamura). International Congress Series 1284 (2005) 336 – 337 www.ics-elsevier.com