The Infrapatellar Fat Pad in Inflammaging, Knee Joint Health, and Osteoarthritis

Overview

Journal NPJ Aging

Publisher Springer Nature

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2024 Jul 15

PMID 39009582

Authors

Magnolia G Wang

Patrick Seale

David Furman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and accounts for nearly $140 billion in annual healthcare expenditures only in the United States. Obesity, aging, and joint injury are major risk factors for OA development and progression, but the mechanisms contributing to pathology remain unclear. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular dysregulation and inflammation in joint tissues, including intra-articular adipose tissue depots, may contribute to disease severity. In particular, the infrapatellar fat pad (IFP), located in the knee joint, which provides a protective cushion for joint loading, also secretes multiple endocrine factors and inflammatory cytokines (inflammaging) that can regulate joint physiology and disease. Correlates of cartilage degeneration and OA-associated disease severity include inflammation and fibrosis of IFP in model organisms and human studies. In this article, we discuss recent progress in understanding the roles and regulation of intra-articular fat tissue in regulating joint biology and OA.

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