Abstract
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Highlights
Osteoarthritis, characterized by progressive degeneration of articular cartilage in the joints, is a major cause of disability and the most common form of arthritis (Felson, 2006)
We found significantly increased percentages of degranulated mast cells in osteoarthritic synovial linings compared to those from non-osteoarthritic joints (Figure 1c)
While it has been shown that mast cells and their mediators are present in osteoarthritic synovial tissue and fluids (Buckley et al, 1998; Dean et al, 1993; Lee et al, 2013; Nakano et al, 2007) and that their numbers in osteoarthritic synovial tissue correlate with structural damage in knee osteoarthritis, their direct participation, mode of activation, and mechanisms by which they contribute to pathogenesis have not previously been shown
Summary
Osteoarthritis, characterized by progressive degeneration of articular cartilage in the joints, is a major cause of disability and the most common form of arthritis (Felson, 2006). Current treatment approaches are limited to pain reduction and joint replacement, highlighting the importance of understanding the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis (Chevalier et al, 2013; Wieland et al, 2005). While low-grade synovial inflammation is a widely recognized feature of osteoarthritis (Atukorala et al, 2016; Hill et al, 2007; Robinson and Mao, 2016; Sellam and Berenbaum, 2010), the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are not fully defined.
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