Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a condition that accounts for 12% of patients with osteoarthritis. Despite this prevalence, the early events causing PTOA are still unknown. A new study in Disease Models & Mechanisms presents transcriptomic data characterizing the mRNA profile of the early phases of PTOA. The researchers compared two mouse models: the classical surgical OA model through destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) model and the non-surgical anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture model. They extracted the cartilage for RNA sequencing and analysis, which revealed that the transcriptomic profile between both models was highly correlated. Both models presented enrichment in the pathways related to tissue organization and growth, linked to repair of the injured tissue. Small RNA-seq analysis in the ACL model revealed abundant expression of miR-199a-5p, a key regulator in skeletal development. These findings introduce the mechanically induced ACL model as a preferred alternative to study PTOA, as it eliminates the need for surgery and suggests the potential role of miR-199a-5p in PTOA.

Original reference: Gilbert, S.J. et al. Dis. Model. Mech. 24, dmm.050583 (2024)

创伤后骨关节炎 （PTOA） 是一种占骨关节炎患者 12% 的疾病。尽管这种普遍性，但导致 PTOA 的早期事件仍然未知。疾病模型与机制中的一项新研究提供了表征PTOA早期阶段mRNA谱的转录组数据。研究人员比较了两种小鼠模型：通过内侧半月板不稳定 （DMM） 模型的经典手术 OA 模型和非手术前交叉韧带 （ACL） 断裂模型。他们提取软骨进行 RNA 测序和分析，结果显示两种模型之间的转录组谱高度相关。两种模型都显示出与组织组织和生长相关的通路的富集，与受伤组织的修复有关。ACL 模型中的小 RNA-seq 分析显示 miR-199a-5p 的大量表达，miR-199a-5p 是骨骼发育的关键调节因子。这些发现引入了机械诱导的 ACL 模型作为研究 PTOA 的首选替代方案，因为它消除了手术的需要，并表明 miR-199a-5p 在 PTOA 中的潜在作用。

原始参考资料：Gilbert， S.J. et al. Dis. 模型。机甲。24， DMM.050583 （2024）