The Age-Related Changes in Cartilage and Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is closely associated with aging, but its underlying mechanism is unclear. Recent publications were reviewed to elucidate the connection between aging and OA. With increasing OA incidence, more senior people are facing heavy financial and social burdens. Age-related OA pathogenesis is not well understood. Recently, it has been realized that age-related changes in other tissues besides articular cartilage may also contribute to OA development. Many factors including senescence-related secretory phenotypes, chondrocytes' low reactivity to growth factors, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, and abnormal accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may all play key roles in the pathogenesis of age-related OA. Lately, epigenetic regulation of gene expression was recognized for its impact on age-related OA pathogenesis. Up to now, few studies have been reported about the role of miRNA and long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in age-related OA. Research focusing on this area may provide valuable insights into OA pathogenesis. OA-induced financial and social burdens have become an increasingly severe threat to older population. Age-related changes in noncartilage tissue should be incorporated in the understanding of OA development. Growing attention on oxidative stress and epigenetics will provide more important clues for the better understanding of the age-related OA.

Köpeklerde Patellar Luksasyonda Kıkırdak Erozyonunun Prevalansı ve Etkilenmiş Eklemlerdeki Gen Ekspresyonu

“…Additionally, with increasing age, the prevalence of cartilage erosion was also found to increase significantly. It has been well documented in many publications that aging has an effect on cartilage morphology and biology, which can cause OA [33,34] .…”

Effect of Age, Cartilage Health and Pain on the Isometric Strength of Knee Musculature: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Cartilage parameters degenerate with advancing age. Due to this degenerative process, there is reduction in cartilage resiliency and hydration, resulting in increased degradation of cartilage, increased roughness of its surface and increased susceptibility to osteoarthritis [3,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31]. Hence, due to proven negative impact of osteoarthritis on muscle strength [23,[33][34][35][36][37], cartilage health showed reduction in muscle strength with advancing grades of clarity and interface.…”

Osteoarthritis: An Overview

“…Although many studies reported apoptotic chondrocytes in OA cartilage, few have examined apoptosis in cartilage with normal aging, except for one study on rat cartilage. [4] 2. Heredity: Some people have an inherited defect in one of the genes responsible for making cartilage.…”

“…Recent research suggests that excess body fat produces chemicals that travel throughout the body and cause joint damage, which would mean obesity, plays a systemic, not just a mechanical, role in osteoarthritis onset. [4] Being only 10 pounds overweight increases the force on the knee by 30-60 pounds with each step. Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder with symptoms in the hands, knees, hips, back, and neck.…”