Glycolysis: an emerging regulator of osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) has been a leading cause of disability in the elderly and there remains a lack of effective therapeutic approaches as the mechanisms of pathogenesis and progression have yet to be elucidated. As OA progresses, cellular metabolic profiles and energy production are altered, and emerging metabolic reprogramming highlights the importance of specific metabolic pathways in disease progression. As a crucial part of glucose metabolism, glycolysis bridges metabolic and inflammatory dysfunctions. Moreover, the glycolytic pathway is involved in different areas of metabolism and inflammation, and is associated with a variety of transcription factors. To date, it has not been fully elucidated whether the changes in the glycolytic pathway and its associated key enzymes are associated with the onset or progression of OA. This review summarizes the important role of glycolysis in mediating cellular metabolic reprogramming in OA and its role in inducing tissue inflammation and injury, with the aim of providing further insights into its pathological functions and proposing new targets for the treatment of OA.

The role of targeting glucose metabolism in chondrocytes in the pathogenesis and therapeutic mechanisms of osteoarthritis: a narrative review

“…Like most cells, chondrocytes use glucose metabolism to produce ATP as their primary energy source, and at the same time, also require glucose as a structural precursor for glycosaminoglycan synthesis ( 28 ). There are three major pathways involved in glucose metabolism: glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and tricarboxylic acid cycle ( 28 – 30 ). Among them, glycolysis is tightly regulated as it is required to provide energy for cell survival and specific cellular functions such as inflammation ( 31 ).…”