Genetic variants in the retinoid X receptor gene contribute to osteoarthritis susceptibility

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive disease of the joints that causes a gradual loss of function, resulting in limited mobility. Chronic inflammation is the main molecular process that triggers and propagates this disease. The retinoid X receptor (RXR), a member of the nuclear receptor family, is involved in modulating inflammatory pathways by influencing key procatabolic inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and enzymes responsible for instigating and sustaining chronic joint inflammation. We evaluated the association between OA risk and genetic variants in the RXRα isoform. Compared to control individuals, a statistically significant difference in genotype distribution was detected for the rs7864987 polymorphism (P=0.008), while a positive inclination toward association was noted for rs3118523 (P=0.077). According to our findings based on the additive model, it appears that RXRα rs7864987 is linked to a higher risk of OA (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.846, P=0.012), whereas rs3118523 is associated with decreased risk of OA (adjusted OR=0.569, P=0.030). These results suggest that RXRα could be a significant inflammation-related gene involved in the complex network underlying the immunopathology of osteoarthritis. RXRα polymorphisms could potentially drive individualized retinoid therapy for OA based on genetic profile.

Keywords

• retinoid x receptor (rxr)
• polymorphism
• osteoarthritis
• inflammation