Level of Adiponectin, Leptin and Selected Matrix Metalloproteinases in Female Overweight Patients with Primary Gonarthrosis

Bidirectional causal relationship between psychiatric disorders and osteoarthritis: A univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

Observational studies have shown associations between psychiatric disorders and osteoarthritis (OA). However, the causal impact of different psychiatric disorder types on specific sites of osteoarthritis remains unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively understand the potential causal associations between psychiatric disorders and osteoarthritis using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS

We collected data from genome-wide association studies of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) (n = 403,124), hip osteoarthritis (HOA) (n = 393,873), osteoarthritis of the knee or hip (KHOA) (n = 417,596), as well as three psychiatric disorders: bipolar disorder (n = 41,917), major depressive disorder (n = 170,756), and schizophrenia (n = 76,755) among European populations. We applied bidirectional univariate and multivariate MR analyses, including inverse variance weighted, Mendelian randomization-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode. We considered p < .05 as a criterion for identifying potential evidence of association. Bonferroni correction was used for multiple tests.

RESULTS

Our univariate MR analysis results demonstrated that bipolar disorder is a protective factor for KOA (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.83 to 0.97, p = 0.0048) and may also be protective for KHOA (p = 0.02). Conversely, major depression has a positive causal effect on both KOA (OR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.49; p = 0.0036) and KHOA (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.12 to 1.37; p = 3.62×10-05 ). Furthermore, our analysis suggested that KHOA may be a risk factor for major depression (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.12; p = 0.0469) in reverse MR. After adjusting smoking (OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.19 to 1.65; p = 0.0032) and body mass index (OR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.81; p = 8.56×10-04 ), the casual association between major depression and KHOA remained.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicates that major depression is a great risk factor for KHOA, increasing the likelihood of their occurrence. However, further in-depth studies will be required to validate these results and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Impact of the Body Composition on Knee Osteoarthritis Assessed Using Bioimpedance Analysis

Osteoarthritis (OA) ranks among the most prevalent inflammatory diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system and is a leading cause of disability globally, impacting approximately 250 million individuals. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the severity of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and body composition in postmenopausal women using bioimpedance analysis (BIA). The study included 58 postmenopausal females who were candidates for total knee arthroplasty. The control group consisted of 25 postmenopausal individuals with no degenerative knee joint changes. The anthropometric analysis encompassed the body mass index (BMI), mid-arm and mid-thigh circumferences (MAC and MTC), and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF). Functional performance was evaluated using the 30 s sit-to-stand test. During the BIA test, electrical parameters such as membrane potential, electrical resistance, capacitive reactance, impedance, and phase angle were measured. Additionally, body composition parameters, including Total Body Water (TBW), Extracellular Water (ECW), Intracellular Water (ICW), Body Cellular Mass (BCM), Extracellular Mass (ECM), Fat-Free Mass (FFM), and Fat Mass (FM), were examined. The study did not find any statistically significant differences in the electrical parameters between the control (0-1 grade on the K-L scale) and study groups (3-4 grade on the K-L scale). However, statistically significant differences were observed in BMI, fat mass (FM), arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and sit-to-stand test results between the analyzed groups. In conclusion, the association between overweight and obesity with KOA in postmenopausal women appears to be primarily related to the level of adipose tissue and its metabolic activity.

Metabolic Imbalances and Bone Remodeling Agents in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Study in Postmenarcheal Girls

The causes and mechanisms underlying adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remain unclear, and the available information regarding metabolic imbalances in AIS is still insufficient. This investigation aimed to evaluate the concentrations of specific bone remodeling-related agents in postmenarcheal girls diagnosed with AIS. The study encompassed thirty-six scoliosis patients and eighteen age-matched healthy individuals assigned to the control group. The patients underwent clinical and radiological examinations to assess the degree of the spinal deformity, type of curvature, and skeletal maturity. Blood and urine samples were collected from all participants and serological markers were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our study results demonstrated that the balance of phosphate-calcium and parathormone levels seems normal in individuals with AIS. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were observed in the content of Klotho protein, osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), sclerostin, and alkaline phosphatase. Nevertheless, the serum levels of vitamin D (25-OH-D) were lowered, while N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) were increased in the AIS group, with p-values of 0.044, 0.001, and 0.022, respectively. This finding indicates the potential involvement of these factors in the progression of AIS, which necessitates further studies to uncover the fundamental mechanisms underlying idiopathic scoliosis.

Assessment of the Impact of Physical Activity on the Musculoskeletal System in Early Degenerative Knee Joint Lesions in an Animal Model

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent diseases of the osteoarticular system. Progressive destruction of joints is accompanied by development of pathological changes in the muscle tissue, i.e., weakening, atrophy, and remodelling (sarcopenia). The aim of the present study is to assess the impact of physical activity on the musculoskeletal system in an animal model of early degenerative lesions in the knee joint. The study involved 30 male Wistar rats. The animals were allocated to three subgroups of 10 animals each. Each animal from the three subgroups received sodium iodoacetate by injection into the patellar ligament of the right knee joint, whereas saline was administered through the patellar ligament in the left knee joint. The rats in the first group were stimulated to exercise on a treadmill. The animals in the second group were allowed to lead a natural lifestyle (no treadmill stimulation). In the third group, all parts of the right hind limb muscle were injected with Clostridium botulinum toxin type A. The study demonstrated that, compared to the active rats, bone density in the immobilised rats decreased, as indicated by the densitometric assessment of the whole body and the examination of rats' hind limbs and knee joints alone. This clearly evidenced the impact of physical activity on bone mineralisation. The weight of both fat and muscle tissues in the physically inactive rats was reduced. Additionally, the adipose tissue had higher weight in the entire right hind limbs, where monoiodoacetic acid was administered to the knee joint. The animal model clearly showed the importance of physical activity in the early stages of OA, as it slows down the process of joint destruction, bone atrophy, and muscle wasting, whereas physical inactivity contributes to progression of generalised changes in the musculoskeletal system.

Elevated fatty acid β-oxidation by leptin contributes to the proinflammatory characteristics of fibroblast-like synoviocytes from RA patients via LKB1-AMPK pathway

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) maintain chronic inflammation leading to joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) regulates cell function. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of FAO enhanced by leptin on the characteristics of RA-FLS and elucidate the potential metabolic mechanism. Key enzymes involved in lipid metabolism were detected with qPCR in HSF, MH7A cell line and isolated RA-FLS treated with RA or healthy control (HC) serum. In some experiments, FAO inhibitor, etomoxir (ETO) or anti-leptin antibody were added into serum-treated RA-FLS. In other experiments, RA-FLS were stimulated with leptin together with ETO or AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor compound C (CC) or silencing liver kinase B1 (LKB1). Cell proliferation, proinflammatory factor production, pro-angiogenesis, chemoattractive potential, FAO-related key enzymes, AMPK and LKB1 in FLS were analyzed. FAO-related key enzymes were evaluated in serum-treated RA-FLS with or without anti-leptin antibody. Related functions of leptin-stimulated RA-FLS were examined in the presence or absence of ETO. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and liver kinase B1 (LKB1) in leptin-stimulated RA-FLS were tested with western blot. Activation of AMPK in leptin-stimulated RA-FLS was detected after silencing LKB1. We found that MH7A cell line and RA serum-treated FLS exhibited upregulated FAO, and ETO could inhibit the proinflammatory phenotypes of RA-FLS. The addition of anti-leptin antibody suppressed the elevation of FAO mediated by RA serum. More importantly, leptin promoted the proinflammatory characteristics of RA-FLS, which was reversed by ETO. Leptin activated AMPK by upregulating LKB1. CC impaired leptin-induced CPT-1A expression in RA-FLS. Our study uncovers that elevated FAO mediated by leptin drives abnormal function of RA-FLS and suggests leptin or FAO inhibition may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for RA.

Concentration of Selected Metalloproteinases and Osteocalcin in the Serum and Synovial Fluid of Obese Women with Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis

The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of selected MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases) and osteocalcin in the serum and synovial fluid of obese women with osteoarthritis and their correlations with clinical status. The studied group consisted of 39 overweight females undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis (OA). The staging of knee OA was evaluated according to the Ahlbӓck and Kellgren–Lawrence scores. Synovial fluid and peripheral blood samples were obtained. The levels of selected MMPs and osteocalcin were assessed using commercial ELISA kits. The mean value of MMP3 was significantly higher in patients with more advanced disease in both serum (p = 0.0067) and synovial fluid (p = 0.0328). The pro-MMP13 level tended to be higher in synovial fluid in the case of more advanced stages (p = 0.0882), with no tendency regarding the serum level (p = 0.9595). The synovial level of pro-MMP1 was significantly correlated with the synovial concentration of MMP9 and MMP3. The synovial level of MMP9 also showed a significant correlation with the synovial level of MMP3 and pro-MMP13. Furthermore, it was found that the serum level of MMP3 was significantly correlated with the synovial pro-MMP13 level. A correlation between the osteocalcin level in serum and its synovial level was determined. The serum MMP9 level showed a significant correlation with BMI, whereas the synovial MMP9 level was notably correlated with age. Our results showed that the levels of MMP3, MMP9, and pro-MMP13 increased in more advanced radiological stages of OA, indicating the underlying inflammatory process of OA.