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Gene Review:

CHI3L2 - chitinase 3-like 2

Homo sapiens

Synonyms: CHIL2, Chitinase-3-like protein 2, Chondrocyte protein 39, YKL-39, YKL39

Knorr, T. et al., Steck, E. et al., Hu, B. et al., Tsuruha, J. et al., Sekine, T. et al., et al.

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Disease relevance of CHI3L2

YKL-39 expression was significantly upregulated in cartilage from patients with osteoarthritis (n=14) versus normal subjects (n=8) according to real-time PCR (19-fold, p=0.009) and cDNA array analysis (mean 15-fold, p<0.001) and correlated with collagen 2 up-regulation [1].
YKL-39 and YKL-40 are potentially interesting marker molecules for arthritic joint disease because they are abundantly expressed by both normal and osteoarthritic chondrocytes [2].
A better understanding of the immune response against cartilage-related components including YKL-39 may help to elucidate the pathological processes of arthritic disorders [3].
The prevalence of autoantibodies against cartilage intermediate layer protein, YKL-39, osteopontin, and cyclic citrullinated peptide in patients with early-stage knee osteoarthritis: evidence of a variety of autoimmune processes [4].

High impact information on CHI3L2

YKL-39 accounts for 4% of the protein in chondrocyte-conditioned medium, prostromelysin accounts for 17%, and YKL-40 accounts for 33% [5].
YKL-39 lacks the active site glutamate, which is essential for the activity of chitinases, and as expected has no chitinase activity [5].
The highest level of YKL-39 mRNA expression is seen in chondrocytes, followed by synoviocytes, lung, and heart [5].
In contrast to YKL-40, YKL-39 is not a glycoprotein and does not bind to heparin [5].
OBJECTIVE: To investigate quantitatively the mRNA expression levels of YKL-40, an established marker of rheumatoid and osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration in synovial fluid and serum, and a closely related molecule YKL-39, in articular chondrocytes [2].

Biological context of CHI3L2

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether autoimmunity to YKL-39, a recently cloned cartilage protein, occurs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [6].

Anatomical context of CHI3L2

T cell proliferation response to YKL-39 was analyzed using the 3H-thymidine incorporation assay [7].

Other interactions of CHI3L2

Enhanced levels of YKL-40 may, therefore, be derived from synovial cells while modulation of YKL-39 and collagen 2 expression reflected the cartilage metabolism in response to degradation [1].
Gene fragments selectively amplified in osteoarthritic cartilage by cDNA representational difference analysis included YKL-39 and the oesophageal-cancer-related-gene-4 (ECRG4) [1].
Recognition of YKL-39, a human cartilage related protein, as a target antigen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis [6].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of CHI3L2

METHODS: cDNA array and online quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to measure mRNA expression levels of YKL-39 and YKL-40 in chondrocytes in normal, early degenerative, and late stage osteoarthritic cartilage samples [2].
In the epitope mapping, all the 3 fragments of YKL-39 were found to carry autoepitopes, but F1 was recognized most frequently [7].
METHODS: Autoantibodies to recombinant YKL-39 as well as human cartilage glycoprotein-39 were detected by ELISA and Western blotting [7].

References

Enhanced expression of the human chitinase 3-like 2 gene (YKL-39) but not chitinase 3-like 1 gene (YKL-40) in osteoarthritic cartilage. Steck, E., Breit, S., Breusch, S.J., Axt, M., Richter, W. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (2002) [Pubmed]
YKL-39 (chitinase 3-like protein 2), but not YKL-40 (chitinase 3-like protein 1), is up regulated in osteoarthritic chondrocytes. Knorr, T., Obermayr, F., Bartnik, E., Zien, A., Aigner, T. Ann. Rheum. Dis. (2003) [Pubmed]
YKL-39, a human cartilage-related protein, induces arthritis in mice. Sakata, M., Masuko-Hongo, K., Tsuruha, J., Sekine, T., Nakamura, H., Takigawa, M., Nishioka, K., Kato, T. Clinical and experimental rheumatology. (2002) [Pubmed]
The prevalence of autoantibodies against cartilage intermediate layer protein, YKL-39, osteopontin, and cyclic citrullinated peptide in patients with early-stage knee osteoarthritis: evidence of a variety of autoimmune processes. Du, H., Masuko-Hongo, K., Nakamura, H., Xiang, Y., Bao, C.D., Wang, X.D., Chen, S.L., Nishioka, K., Kato, T. Rheumatol. Int. (2005) [Pubmed]
Isolation and sequence of a novel human chondrocyte protein related to mammalian members of the chitinase protein family. Hu, B., Trinh, K., Figueira, W.F., Price, P.A. J. Biol. Chem. (1996) [Pubmed]
Recognition of YKL-39, a human cartilage related protein, as a target antigen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Sekine, T., Masuko-Hongo, K., Matsui, T., Asahara, H., Takigawa, M., Nishioka, K., Kato, T. Ann. Rheum. Dis. (2001) [Pubmed]
Autoimmunity against YKL-39, a human cartilage derived protein, in patients with osteoarthritis. Tsuruha, J., Masuko-Hongo, K., Kato, T., Sakata, M., Nakamura, H., Sekine, T., Takigawa, M., Nishioka, K. J. Rheumatol. (2002) [Pubmed]

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