Recent Updates of Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, and Treatment on Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative and chronic joint disease characterized by clinical symptoms and distortion of joint tissues. It primarily damages joint cartilage, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness around the joint. It is the major cause of disability and pain. The prevalence of OA is expected to increase gradually with the aging population and increasing prevalence of obesity. Many potential therapeutic advances have been made in recent years due to the improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms, diagnosis, and management of OA. Embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells differentiate into chondrocytes or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and can be used as a source of injectable treatments in the OA joint cavity. MSCs are known to be the most studied cell therapy products in cell-based OA therapy owing to their ability to differentiate into chondrocytes and their immunomodulatory properties. They have the potential to improve cartilage recovery and ultimately restore healthy joints. However, despite currently available therapies and advances in research, unfulfilled medical needs persist for OA treatment. In this review, we focused on the contents of non-cellular and cellular therapies for OA, and briefly summarized the results of clinical trials for cell-based OA therapy to lay a solid application basis for clinical research.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and MicroRNAs in Cartilage Regeneration: Biogenesis, Efficacy, miRNA Enrichment and Delivery

“…OA is also implicated in increasing the risk of cardiovascular-related mortality [26] and suicidal thoughts [27]. The prevalence of OA is expected to rise drastically over the years, concomitant with the increase of the aged and obese population [28].…”

Application of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Modeling and 3D Model Construction: Focus on Osteoarthritis

“…Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease whose incidence rate is expected to increase exponentially in the next decade [10,33,34]. OA is primarily characterized by joint narrowing, cartilage degradation, and synovial membrane inflammation (Figure 3) [35][36][37]. With the gradual worsening of these symptoms, joint function and movement are heavily restricted to a point where total joint replacement is required [35].…”

Effects of Visfatin on Intracellular Mechanics and Catabolism in Human Primary Chondrocytes through Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β Inactivation

“…Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common articular cartilage degeneration disease. People suffering from OA may experience a poor lifestyle because of the painfulness, disability, and debilitation associated with the condition [ 1 , 2 ]. However, OA is still a recalcitrant disease, as much of the mechanisms of the complex biochemical pathways and mechanical stimulation involved in the onset of this condition remain to be elucidated.…”

“…Upon the onset of OA, an imbalanced metabolism in chondrocytes gradually results in a higher secretion of catabolic factors, e.g., matrix metalloprotease (MMP) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), than those of the anabolic factors, e.g., collagen II and aggrecan. This means that the degradation rate in cartilage becomes gradually higher than the regeneration and repair rate, which finally leads to cartilage destruction [ 1 , 2 ]. COX2 is the major enzyme in prostaglandin (PG) synthesis.…”