Glutamine protects articular chondrocytes from heat stress and NO-induced apoptosis with HSP70 expression

Tonomura H, Takahashi KA, Mazda O, et al. · Osteoarthritis and Cartilage

Glutamine dose-dependently amplified stress-induced HSP70 and largely abrogated the severe loss of chondrocyte viability caused by 43°C heat or nitric oxide; blocking HSP70 with quercetin removed the protection.

Population

Rabbit articular chondrocyte cultures

Intervention

L-glutamine conditioning before heat stress (43°C) or nitric-oxide exposure

Limitations

In vitro; also demonstrates the flip side — unprotected chondrocytes were badly damaged by 43°C heat, a temperature external heating does not produce inside a joint.