Correlation network analysis shows divergent effects of a long-term, high-fat diet and exercise on early stage osteoarthritis phenotypes in mice

Sexually dimorphic metabolic effects of a high fat diet on knee osteoarthritis in mice

BACKGROUND

Women have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) than men, including with obesity. To better understand this disparity, we investigated sex differences in metabolic and inflammatory factors associated with OA using a diet-induced mouse model of obesity. We hypothesized that 20 weeks of high-fat diet (HFD) would induce sexually dimorphic changes in both systemic and local risk factors of knee OA.

METHODS

Male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed Chow or HFD from 6 to 26 weeks of age (n = 12 per diet and sex). We performed broad metabolic phenotyping, 16 S gut microbiome analysis, targeted gene expression analysis of synovium-infrapatellar fat tissue, targeted gene expression and proteomic analysis of articular cartilage, chondrocyte metabolic profiling, and OA histopathology. Two-way ANOVA statistics were utilized to determine the contribution of sex and diet and their interaction on outcomes.

RESULTS

Mice fed HFD weighed 1.76-fold (p < 0.0001) and 1.60-fold (p < 0.0001) more than male and female Chow cohorts, respectively, with both sexes reaching similar body fat levels (male: 43.9 ± 2.2%; female: 44.1 ± 3.8%). HFD caused greater cartilage pathology (p < 0.024) and synovial hyperplasia (p < 0.038) versus Chow in both sexes. Cartilage pathology was greater in male versus female mice (p = 0.048), and only male mice developed osteophytes with HFD (p = 0.044). Both sexes exhibited metabolic inflexibility on HFD, but only male mice developed glucose intolerance (p < 0.0001), fatty liver (p < 0.0001), and elevated serum amylase (p < 0.0001) with HFD versus Chow. HFD treatment caused sex-dependent differences in gut microbiota beta diversity (p = 0.01) and alteration in specific microbiome clades, such as a HFD-dependent reduction in abundance of Bifidobacterium only in male mice. In knee synovium and infrapatellar fat tissue, HFD upregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic genes predominantly in female mice. In cartilage, lipid metabolism proteins were more abundant with HFD in male mice, whereas proteins involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and biosynthesis of amino acids were greater in cartilage of female mice. Sex-dependent metabolic differences were observed in cartilage from young, healthy mice prior to pubertal maturation, but not in primary juvenile chondrocytes studied in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

HFD induced numerous sex differences in metabolic and inflammatory outcomes, especially in joint tissues, suggesting that sex-specific cellular processes are involved during development of early-stage OA with obesity.

Obesity-induced fibrosis in osteoarthritis: Pathogenesis, consequences and novel therapeutic opportunities

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a significant global burden, affecting more than half a billion people across the world. It is characterized by degeneration and loss of articular cartilage, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone sclerosis, leading to pain and functional impairment. After age, obesity is a major modifiable risk factor for OA, and it has recently been identified as a chronic disease by the World Health Organization (WHO). Obesity is associated with high morbidity and mortality, imposing a significant cost on individuals and society. Obesity increases the risk of knee OA through increased joint loading, altered body composition, and elevated pro-inflammatory adipokines in the systemic circulation. Moreover, obesity triggers fibrotic processes in different organs and tissues, including those involved in OA. Fibrosis in OA refers to the abnormal accumulation of fibrous tissue within and around the joints. It can be driven by increased adiposity, low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic alterations. However, the clinical outcomes of fibrosis in OA are unclear. This review focuses on the link between obesity and OA, explores the mechanism of obesity-driven fibrosis, and examines potential therapeutic opportunities for targeting fibrotic processes in OA.

Triiodothyronine (T3) promotes browning of white adipose through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

Obesity arises from an imbalance between energy consumption and energy expenditure, and thyroid hormone levels serve as a determinant of energy expenditure. We conducted experiments at the animal and cellular levels and combined those findings with clinical data to elucidate the role of triiodothyronine (T3) in facilitating the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) and its underlying mechanism. The results showed (i) the impaired metabolic function of local WAT and the compensatory elevation of systemic thermogenesis in obesity; (ii) T3 treatment of white adipocytes in vitro and local WAT in vivo induced a shift towards a morphologically "brown" phenotype, accompanied by upregulation of mRNA and protein expression of browning-related and mitochondrial function markers, which suggest that T3 intervention promotes the browning of WAT; and (iii) the aforementioned processes could be modulated through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway; however, whether T3 affects the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway by affecting insulin signalling remains to be studied and clarified. The results of our study indicate that T3 treatment promotes browning of WAT through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway; these findings offer novel perspectives regarding the potential of localised therapies for addressing WAT volume in individuals with obesity.

Effect of biological sex and short-term high-fat diet on cellular proliferation, ribosomal biogenesis, and targeted protein abundance in murine articular cartilage

Objective

To identify factors contributing to sex-differences in OA risk by evaluating the short-term effect of high-fat (HF) diet on sex-specific changes in cartilage cell proliferation, ribosomal biogenesis, and targeted extra-cellular and cellular protein abundance.

Materials and methods

Knee cartilage was harvested to the subchondral bone from 20-week-old female and male C57BL/6J mice fed a low-fat or HF diet for 4 weeks and labeled with deuterium oxide for 1, 3, 5, 7, 15, or 21 days. Deuterium enrichment was quantified in isolated DNA and RNA to measure cell proliferation and ribosomal biogenesis, respectively. Protein concentration was measured using targeted high resolution accurate mass spectrometry.

Results

HF diet increased the maximal deuterium incorporation into DNA from approximately 40 to 50%, albeit at a slower rate. These findings, which were magnified in female versus male mice, indicate a greater number of proliferating cells with longer half-lives under HF diet conditions. HF diet caused distinct sex-dependent effects on deuterium incorporation into RNA, increasing the fraction of ribosomes undergoing biogenesis in male mice and doubling the rate of ribosome biogenesis in female mice. HF diet altered cartilage protein abundance similarly in both sexes, except for matrilin-3, which was more abundant in HF versus LF conditions in female mice only. Overall, HF diet treatment had a stronger effect than sex on cartilage protein abundance, with most changes involving extracellular matrix and matrix-associated proteins.

Conclusions

Short-term HF diet broadly altered cartilage matrix protein abundance, while sex-dependent effects primarily involved differences in cell proliferation and ribosomal biogenesis.

Animal Models of Osteoarthritis: Updated Models and Outcome Measures 2016-2023

Purpose

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a global musculoskeletal disorder that affects primarily the knee and hip joints without any FDA-approved disease-modifying therapies. Animal models are essential research tools in developing therapies for OA; many animal studies have provided data for the initiation of human clinical trials. Despite this, there is still a need for strategies to recapitulate the human experience using animal models to better develop treatments and understand pathogenesis. Since our last review on animal models of osteoarthritis in 2016, there have been exciting updates in OA research and models. The main purpose of this review is to update the latest animal models and key features of studies in OA research.

Method

We used our existing classification method and screened articles in PubMed and bibliographic search for animal OA models between 2016 and 2023. Relevant and high-cited articles were chosen for inclusion in this narrative review.

Results

Recent studies were analyzed and classified. We also identified ex vivo models as an area of ongoing research. Each animal model offers its own benefit in the study of OA and there are a full range of outcome measures that can be assessed. Despite the vast number of models, each has its drawbacks that have limited translating approved therapies for human use.

Conclusion

Depending on the outcome measures and objective of the study, researchers should pick the best model for their work. There have been several exciting studies since 2016 that have taken advantage of regenerative engineering techniques to develop therapies and better understand OA.

Lay Summary

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic debilitating disease without any cure that affects mostly the knee and hip joints and often results in surgical joint replacement. Cartilage protects the joint from mechanical forces and degrades with age or in response to injury. The many contributing causes of OA are still being investigated, and animals are used for preclinical research and to test potential new treatments. A single consensus OA animal model for preclinical studies is non-existent. In this article, we review the many animal models for OA and provide a much-needed update on studies and model development since 2016.

Wheel Running Exacerbates Joint Damage after Meniscal Injury in Mice, but Does Not Alter Gait or Physical Activity Levels

PURPOSE

Exercise and physical activity are recommended to reduce pain and improve joint function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, exercise has dose effects, with excessive exercise accelerating OA development and sedentary behaviors also promoting OA development. Prior work evaluating exercise in preclinical models has typically used prescribed exercise regimens; however, in-cage voluntary wheel running creates opportunities to evaluate how OA progression affects self-selected physical activity levels. This study aimed to evaluate how voluntary wheel running after a surgically induced meniscal injury affects gait characteristics and joint remodeling in C57Bl/6 mice. We hypothesize that injured mice will reduce physical activity levels as OA develops after meniscal injury and will engage in wheel running to a lesser extent than the uninjured animals.

METHODS

Seventy-two C57Bl/6 mice were divided into experimental groups based on sex, lifestyle (physically active vs sedentary), and surgery (meniscal injury or sham control). Voluntary wheel running data were continuously collected throughout the study, and gait data were collected at 3, 7, 11, and 15 wk after surgery. At end point, joints were processed for histology to assess cartilage damage.

RESULTS

After meniscal injury, physically active mice showed more severe joint damage relative to sedentary mice. Nevertheless, injured mice engaged in voluntary wheel running at the same rates and distances as mice with sham surgery. In addition, physically active mice and sedentary mice both developed a limp as meniscal injury progressed, yet exercise did not further exacerbate gait changes in the physically active mice, despite worsened joint damage.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these data indicate a discordance between structural joint damage and joint function. Although wheel running after meniscal injury did worsen OA-related joint damage, physical activity did not necessarily inhibit or worsen OA-related joint dysfunction or pain in mice.

Outrunning a bad diet: interactions between exercise and a Western-style diet for adolescent mental health, metabolism and microbes

Adolescence is a period of biological, psychological and social changes, and the peak time for the emergence of mental health problems. During this life stage, brain plasticity including hippocampal neurogenesis is increased, which is crucial for cognitive functions and regulation of emotional responses. The hippocampus is especially susceptible to environmental and lifestyle influences, mediated by changes in physiological systems, resulting in enhanced brain plasticity but also an elevated risk for developing mental health problems. Indeed, adolescence is accompanied by increased activation of the maturing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sensitivity to metabolic changes due to increased nutritional needs and hormonal changes, and gut microbiota maturation. Importantly, dietary habits and levels of physical activity significantly impact these systems. In this review, the interactions between exercise and Western-style diets, which are high in fat and sugar, on adolescent stress susceptibility, metabolism and the gut microbiota are explored. We provide an overview of current knowledge on implications of these interactions for hippocampal function and adolescent mental health, and speculate on potential mechanisms which require further investigation.

Genetically predicted obesity and risk of hip osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVES

To determine the causal association between genetically predicted obesity and the risk of hip osteoarthritis.

METHODS

We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to analyze the association between body mass index (BMI) and hip osteoarthritis using pooled-level genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. The inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR‒Egger, and weighted median methods were used to estimate the causal association. In addition, we applied the MR Steiger filtering method, MR robust adjusted profile score (MR.RAPS) methods, and the MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) global test to examine and address potential horizontal pleiotropy.

RESULTS

We found a causal relationship between genetically predicted BMI and the risk of hip osteoarthritis by the IVW method [OR = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-2.00, P = 0.02]. In the sensitivity analysis, the results of the MR‒Egger and weighted median methods revealed similar estimations but with a wide CI with lower precision. The funnel plot, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO all indicated the absence of a directional pleiotropic effect. In addition, no heterogeneity was observed in the present analysis. Therefore, the result of IVW is most suitable and reliable for the present MR analysis.

CONCLUSION

There is a causal relationship between obesity and a higher risk of hip osteoarthritis, suggesting that weight management may be an intervention for the prevention and management of hip osteoarthritis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Bioinformatics, Basic science.

Bone mass loss in chronic heart failure is associated with sympathetic nerve activation

PURPOSE

Chronic heart failure causes osteoporosis, but the mechanism remains unclear. The sympathetic nerve plays an important role in both bone metabolism and cardiovascular function.

METHODS

Thirty-six adult male SD rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: sham surgery (Sham) group, guanethidine (GD) group, abdominal transverse aorta coarctation-induced heart failure + normal saline (TAC) group, and TAC + guanethidine (TAC + GD) group. Normal saline (0.9 % NaCl) or guanethidine (40 mg/kg/ml) was intraperitoneally injected daily for 5 weeks. Then, DXA, micro-CT, ELISA and RT-PCR analyses were performed 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTS

The bone loss in rats subjected to TAC-induced chronic heart failure and chemical sympathectomy with guanethidine was increased. Serum norepinephrine levels were increased in rats with TAC-induced heart failure but were decreased in TAC-induced heart failure rats treated with guanethidine. The expression of α2A adrenergic receptor, α2C adrenergic receptor, osteoprotegerin (OPG), and osteocalcin in the tibia decreased in the TAC-induced heart failure group, and the expression of β1 adrenergic receptor, β2 adrenergic receptor, receptor activator of nuclear factor-κ B ligand (RANKL), and RANKL/OPG in the tibia increased in the heart failure group. In addition, these changes in gene expression levels were rescued by chemical sympathectomy with guanethidine.

CONCLUSIONS

TAC-induced chronic heart failure is associated with bone mass loss, and the sympathetic nerve plays a significant role in heart failure-related bone mass loss.

MINI ABSTRACT

The present study supports the hypothesis that heart failure is related to bone loss, and the excessive activation of sympathetic nerves participates in this pathophysiological process. The present study suggests a potential pathological mechanism of osteoporosis associated with heart failure and new perspectives for developing strategies for heart failure-related bone loss.

Non-invasive brain stimulation for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, the prevalence of OA is increasing, and the elderly are the most common in patients with OA. OA has a severe impact on the daily life of patients, this increases the demand for treatment of OA. In recent years, the application of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has attracted extensive attention. It has been confirmed that NIBS plays an important role in regulating cortical excitability and oscillatory rhythm in specific brain regions. In this review, we summarized the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of different NIBS techniques in OA, clarified the potential of NIBS as a treatment choice for OA, and provided prospects for further research in the future.

The effects and significance of gut microbiota and its metabolites on the regulation of osteoarthritis: Close coordination of gut-bone axis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic degenerative disease of articular cartilage in middle-aged and older individuals, which can result in the joint pain and dysfunction, and even cause the joint deformity or disability. With the enhancing process of global aging, OA has gradually become a major public health problem worldwide. Explaining pathogenesis of OA is critical for the development of new preventive and therapeutic interventions. In recent years, gut microbiota (GM) has been generally regarded as a “multifunctional organ,” which is closely relevant with a variety of immune, metabolic and inflammatory functions. Meanwhile, more and more human and animal researches have indicated the existence of gut-bone axis and suggested that GM and its metabolites are closely involved in the pathogenic process of OA, which might become a potential and promising intervention target. Based on the close coordination of gut-bone axis, this review aims to summarize and discuss the mechanisms of GM and its metabolites influencing OA from the aspects of the intestinal mucosal barrier modulation, intestinal metabolites modulation, immune modulation and strategies for the prevention or treatment of OA based on perspectives of GM and its metabolites, thus providing a profound knowledge and recognition of it.

Exercise for Osteoarthritis: A Literature Review of Pathology and Mechanism

Osteoarthritis (OA) has a very high incidence worldwide and has become a very common joint disease in the elderly. Currently, the treatment methods for OA include surgery, drug therapy, and exercise therapy. In recent years, the treatment of certain diseases by exercise has received increasing research and attention. Proper exercise can improve the physiological function of various organs of the body. At present, the treatment of OA is usually symptomatic. Limited methods are available for the treatment of OA according to its pathogenesis, and effective intervention has not been developed to slow down the progress of OA from the molecular level. Only by clarifying the mechanism of exercise treatment of OA and the influence of different exercise intensities on OA patients can we choose the appropriate exercise prescription to prevent and treat OA. This review mainly expounds the mechanism that exercise alleviates the pathological changes of OA by affecting the degradation of the ECM, apoptosis, inflammatory response, autophagy, and changes of ncRNA, and summarizes the effects of different exercise types on OA patients. Finally, it is found that different exercise types, exercise intensity, exercise time and exercise frequency have different effects on OA patients. At the same time, suitable exercise prescriptions are recommended for OA patients.

Sirt5 Deficiency Causes Posttranslational Protein Malonylation and Dysregulated Cellular Metabolism in Chondrocytes Under Obesity Conditions

OBJECTIVE

Obesity accelerates the development of osteoarthritis (OA) during aging and is associated with altered chondrocyte cellular metabolism. Protein lysine malonylation (MaK) is a posttranslational modification (PTM) that has been shown to play an important role during aging and obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of sirtuin 5 (Sirt5) in regulating MaK and cellular metabolism in chondrocytes under obesity-related conditions.

METHODS

MaK and SIRT5 were immunostained in knee articular cartilage of obese db/db mice and different aged C57BL6 mice with or without destabilization of the medial meniscus surgery to induce OA. Primary chondrocytes were isolated from 7-day-old WT and Sirt5^-/- mice and treated with varying concentrations of glucose and insulin to mimic obesity. Sirt5-dependent effects on MaK and metabolism were evaluated by western blot, Seahorse Respirometry, and gas/chromatography-mass/spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolic profiling.

RESULTS

MaK was significantly increased in cartilage of db/db mice and in chondrocytes treated with high concentrations of glucose and insulin (Glu^hiIns^hi). Sirt5 was increased in an age-dependent manner following joint injury, and Sirt5 deficient primary chondrocytes had increased MaK, decreased glycolysis rate, and reduced basal mitochondrial respiration. GC-MS identified 41 metabolites. Sirt5 deficiency altered 13 distinct metabolites under basal conditions and 18 metabolites under Glu^hiIns^hi treatment. Pathway analysis identified a wide range of Sirt5-dependent altered metabolic pathways that include amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle, and glycolysis.

CONCLUSION

This study provides the first evidence that Sirt5 broadly regulates chondrocyte metabolism. We observed changes in SIRT5 and MaK levels in cartilage with obesity and joint injury, suggesting that the Sirt5-MaK pathway may contribute to altered chondrocyte metabolism that occurs during OA development.

Effects of long-term exercise and a high-fat diet on synovial fluid metabolomics and joint structural phenotypes in mice: an integrated network analysis

OBJECTIVE

To explore how systemic factors that modify knee osteoarthritis risk are connected to 'whole-joint' structural changes by evaluating the effects of high-fat diet and wheel running exercise on synovial fluid (SF) metabolomics.

METHODS

Male mice were fed a defined control or high-fat (60% kcal fat) diet from 6 to 52 weeks of age, and half the animals were housed with running wheels from 26 to 52 weeks of age (n = 9-13 per group). Joint tissue structure and osteoarthritis pathology were evaluated by histology and micro-computed tomography. Systemic metabolic and inflammatory changes were evaluated by body composition, glucose tolerance testing, and serum biomarkers. SF metabolites were analyzed by high performance-liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. We built correlation-based network models to evaluate the connectivity between systemic and local metabolic biomarkers and osteoarthritis structural pathology within each experimental group.

RESULTS

High-fat diet caused moderate osteoarthritis, including cartilage pathology, synovitis and increased subchondral bone density. In contrast, voluntary exercise had a negligible effect on these joint structure components. 1,412 SF metabolite features were detected, with high-fat sedentary mice being the most distinct. Diet and activity uniquely altered SF metabolites attributed to amino acids, lipids, and steroids. Notably, high-fat diet increased network connections to systemic biomarkers such as interleukin-1β and glucose intolerance. In contrast, exercise increased local joint-level network connections, especially among subchondral bone features and SF metabolites.

CONCLUSION

Network mapping showed that obesity strengthened SF metabolite links to blood glucose and inflammation, whereas exercise strengthened SF metabolite links to subchondral bone structure.

Effect of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Muscle Activation for Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis

Whole-body vibration (WBV) training may improve the strength of lower extremity muscles in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), but the inconsistency in vibration parameters leads to differences in findings. This cross-sectional study is aimed at observing the effects of different vibration frequencies and knee flexion angles on the activation of lower extremity muscles in patients with KOA. Enrolled participants received WBV training at 0, 30, and 60° knee flexion angles with vibration frequencies of 0, 5, 10, and 20 Hz. Activation rates for vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus in different combinations were collected through surface electromyography. The effects of frequency and angle on muscle activation rate were quantified by repeated measures ANOVA. Individual and synergistic effects of frequency and angle were also analysed. Twenty-six participants with KOA were included. Muscle activation increased with the vibration frequency in 0–20 Hz range and with knee flexion angle in 0–60° range. WBV training at 20 Hz was the most effective for knee muscle activation, and static squatting at 60° was the most suitable for WBV training. Therefore, WBV training can increase the activation rate of knee flexor and extensor muscles in patients with KOA, and the most efficient combination was 20 Hz vibration frequency and 60° knee flexion. When applying WBV to patients with KOA, individual differences and rehabilitation purposes should be considered in selecting vibration parameters and knee angle to effectively increase neuromuscular activity.

Cartilage tissue engineering for obesity-induced osteoarthritis: Physiology, challenges, and future prospects

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial joint disease with pathological changes that affect whole joint tissue. Obesity is acknowledged as the most influential risk factor for both the initiation and progression of OA in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing joints. Obesity-induced OA is a newly defined phenotypic group in which chronic low-grade inflammation has a central role. Aside from persistent chronic inflammation, abnormal mechanical loading due to increased body weight on weight-bearing joints is accountable for the initiation and progression of obesity-induced OA. The current therapeutic approaches for OA are still evolving. Tissue-engineering-based strategy for cartilage regeneration is one of the most promising treatment breakthroughs in recent years. However, patients with obesity-induced OA are often excluded from cartilage repair attempts due to the abnormal mechanical demands, altered biomechanical and biochemical activities of cells, persistent chronic inflammation, and other obesity-associated factors. With the alarming increase in the number of obese populations globally, the need for an innovative therapeutic approach that could effectively repair and restore the damaged synovial joints is of significant importance for this sub-population of patients. In this review, we discuss the involvement of the systemic and localized inflammatory response in obesity-induced OA and the impact of altered mechanical loading on pathological changes in the synovial joint. Moreover, we examine the current strategies in cartilage tissue engineering and address the critical challenges of cell-based therapies for OA. Besides, we provide examples of innovative ways and potential strategies to overcome the obstacles in the treatment of obesity-induced OA.

THE TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THIS ARTICLE

Altogether, this review delivers insight into obesity-induced OA and offers future research direction on the creation of tissue engineering-based therapies for obesity-induced OA.

Gut microbiome dysbiosis alleviates the progression of osteoarthritis in mice

Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been studied under the pathological conditions of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the effect of antibiotic-induced gut flora dysbiosis on OA remains incompletely understood at present. Herein, we used a mouse (8 weeks) OA model of destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) and gut microbiome dysbiosis induced by antibiotic treatment with ampicillin and neomycin for 8 weeks. The results show that antibiotic-induced intestinal microbiota dysbiosis reduced the serum level of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the inflammatory response, such as suppression of the levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which can lead to decreased matrix metalloprotease-13 (MMP-13) expression and improvement of OA after joint injury. In addition, trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and osteophyte scores were increased significantly in antibiotic-induced male mice compared with female mice. We further used network correlation analysis to verify the effect of gut microbiota dysbiosis on OA. Therefore, the present study contributes to our understanding of the gut-joint axis in OA and reveals the relationship between the inflammatory response, sex and gut microbiota, which may provide new strategies to prevent the symptoms and long-term sequelae of OA. Conclusion: Our data showed that gut microbiome dysbiosis alleviates the progression of OA.