Chloride Channel and Inflammation-Mediated Pathogenesis of Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Zicong Lin,1,* Zhiqin Deng,1,* Jianquan Liu,1,* Zhongshi Lin,2 Siyu Chen,3 Zhenhan Deng,3 Wencui Li1 1Hand and Foot Surgery Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, People’s Republic of China; 2Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control (Shenzhen Testing Center of Medical Devices), Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518057, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Sports Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhenhan Deng, Department of Sports Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, 3002 Sungang West Road, Shenzhen City, 518025, People’s Republic of China, Tel [phone], Fax [phone], Email [email protected] Wencui Li, Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, 3002 Sungang West Road, Shenzhen City, 518025, People’s Republic of China, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: Articular cartilage allows the human body to buffer and absorb stress during normal exercise. It is mainly composed of cartilage cells and the extracellular matrix and is surrounded by the extracellular microenvironment formed by synovial fluid and various factors in it. Studies have shown that chondrocytes are the metabolic center of articular cartilage. Under physiological conditions, the extracellular matrix is in a dynamic balance of anabolism and catabolism, and various factors and physical and chemical conditions in the extracellular microenvironment are also in a steady state. This homeostasis depends on the normal function of proteins represented by various ion channels on chondrocytes. In mammalian chondrocyte species, ion channels are mainly divided into two categories: cation channels and anion channels. Anion channels such as chloride channels have become hot research topics in recent years. These channels play an extremely important role in various physiological processes. Recently, a growing body of evidence has shown that many pathological processes, abnormal concentration of mechanical stress and chloride channel dysfunction in articular cartilage lead to microenvironment disorders, matrix and bone metabolism imbalances, which cause partial aseptic inflammation. These pathological processes initiate extracellular matrix degradation, abnormal chondrocyte death, hyperplasia of inflammatory synovium and bony. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common clinical disease in orthopedics. Its typical manifestations are joint inflammation and pain caused by articular cartilage degeneration, but its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Focusing on the physiological functions and pathological changes of chloride channels and pathophysiology of aseptic inflammation furthers the understanding of OA pathogenesis and provides possible targets for subsequent medication development.Keywords: osteoarthritis, chondrocyte, ion channel, inflammatory factors

Keywords

• osteoarthritis
• chondrocyte
• ion channel
• inflammatory factors