Kashin Beck Disease as an endemic disorder of cardilage metabolism

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Kashin Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic and degenerative osteoarticular disorder which occurs in agricultural area in northern China. Although the affected individuals are now counted in the millions, the etiology is still unknown.Suzuki's group have been working on the mechanisms of growth and differentiation of chondrocytes. Hence, we were asked to support KBD research project by Professor Yang, Norman Bethune Medical University, who is the leader of KBD research group in China. Therefore, we started this international joint research project.First, we invited Drs. Yang, Wang, Hou and Yan to Osaka University and Hiroshima University in 1991 and discussed research plans with us. Professor Yang gave a lecture on the current status of KBD research in China at the 9th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Bone and Mineral research. Then, Professors Y. Kato and F. Suzuki visited Norman Bethune Medical University and Xian Medical University in September, and October, respectively, to give lectures on the current status of cartilage metabolism.In 1992, Dr. K. Fujii who is an orthopedic surgeon, visited Changchun and Xian, had a chance to examine KBD patients in endemic areas, and collected sera from patients with KBD and age-matched normal children. Then Dr. Yan came to Osaka and Hiroshima and investigated the effect of sera of patients with KBD on rabbit growth cartilage cells in culture with us. We found that when patients's sera were added in cultured chondrocytes, they suppressed the sulfate incorporation into proteoglycans synthesized by chondrocytes. Patients's caused degradtation of cartilage-specific proteoglycans. These facts indicate that new valid cell culture model of KBD was established. Such fundamental approaches should be complemented by continuing studies of the metabolism and molecular biology of cartilage in KBD in further joint research program.