FIGURE 7.

Altering CD44 capacity to transit into lipid rafts affects internalization but not retention of G1-ITEGE domains. Bovine articular chondrocytes were pretreated with or without either 10 mm MβCD (panels A–C) or 10 μm 2-BP (panels D–F). The cells were next incubated in the absence or presence IL-1β and then analyzed by Western blot analysis for accumulation of G1-ITEGE. Panels A and D depict the matrix fraction released from chondrocytes with testicular hyaluronidase. Aliquots used represent equivalent volumes of samples. Panels B and E depict the intracellular fraction of chondrocytes after pretreatment with testicular hyaluronidase. Aliquots used represent equivalent protein of samples, verified by reprobing of the Western blot for β-actin. Bar graphs in panels C and F represent the normalized average -fold increase in pixel intensity for G1-ITEGE in each condition, derived from three separate experiments. Error bars depict S.D. Quantification of the matrix fraction is represented by dark bars, ad the intracellular fraction is represented by white bars. Ctr, control.