Objective:　To　investigate　the　differences　in　gene　expression　profiles　of　adult　articular　cartilage　with　endemic　osteoarthritis　(OA),　Kashin-Beck　disease　(KBD),　and　the　same　regions　in　the　normal　joint.　Methods:　The　messenger　RNA　expression　profiles　of　articular　cartilage　with　KBD　diagnosed　according　to　＂Diagnosing　Criteria　of　Kashin-Beck　Disease　in　China＂　were　compared　with　the　normal　cartilage.　Total　RNA　isolated　separately　from　four　pairs　of　the　KBD　and　normal　cartilage　samples　were　evaluated　by　oligonucleotide　microarray　analysis.　The　microarray　data　were　confirmed　by　quantitative　real-time　reverse　transcription　polymerase　chain　reaction　(qRT-PCR)　amplification　and　were　compared　with　previously　published　experiments.　Results:　About　4100　transcripts,　which　corresponded　to　35%　of　the　expressed　transcripts,　showed　＞=　twofold　differences　in　expression　between　the　cartilage　tissues　in　pairs.　Approximately　2%　of　the　expressed　genes　(79,　55　genes　expressed　in　KBD　＞　normal;　24　genes　expressed　in　KBD　＜　normal)　were　commonly　expressed　in　the　four　pairs　of　samples.　The　expression　of　some　genes　related　to　the　metabolism,　apoptosis,　cell　proliferation　and　matrix　degradation　activity　was　significantly　different　in　KBD　cartilage　than　in　the　normal,　similar　to　the　findings　for　genes　that　inhibit　matrix　degradation.　Comparisons　of　qRT-PCR　data　and　the　previously　reported　data　with　the　result　of　gene　chips　support　the　validity　of　our　microarray　data.　Conclusion:　Differences　between　KBD　cartilage　and　the　normal　exhibited　a　similar　pattern　among　the　four　pairs　examined,　indicating　the　presence　of　common　mechanisms　mainly　including　chondrocyte　metabolism　and　apoptosis　that　contribute　to　cartilage　destruction　in　KBD.　(c)　2008　Osteoarthritis　Research　Society　International.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.