Osteoarthritis: An immuno‐inflammatory disease‐mechanisms of immune cell dysregulation and potential therapeutic strategies
image: Various innate and adaptive immune cells are differently distributed in the synovial fluid, synovium, and IFP in healthy joints and those with OA. The diversity and distribution of innate immune cells (macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, mast cells, neutrophils and NK cells) and adaptive immune cells (T cells, B cells, and plasma cells) in the synovial fluid, synovium and IFP of healthy joints and those with OA are represented. Structural cells, including adipocytes and fibroblasts are also represented. In OA, the synovial lining thickens and the protective barrier that hinders immune‐cell trafficking in the steady state is disrupted. Numerous mediators (such as cytokines, adipokines, or matrix‐degrading enzymes) are released by cells in the synovial fluid, synovium, and IFP and can induce cartilage damage in OA.
Credit: Qingqiang Lei
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease characterized by degenerative lesions of articular cartilage, subchondral osteosclerosis, osteophyte formation, and synovial inflammation. The traditional view is that OA is a degenerative disease, mainly related to mechanical damage to articular cartilage caused by age, obesity, trauma and other factors. However, in recent years, increasingly more studies have shown that immunoinflammatory responses play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of OA. There are a variety of immune cell infiltration in the joint cavity of OA, and numerous inflammatory factors are released, forming a chronic low‐grade inflammatory microenvironment, promoting articular cartilage degradation and synovial inflammation, and ultimately leading to the occurrence and development of OA. This article reviews the latest research progress on immune-inflammatory mechanisms such as immune cell infiltration and inflammatory factor release in OA, and discusses potential strategies for targeted immune response therapy for OA, to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of OA.
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