Subchondral Bone Remodeling: A Therapeutic Target for Osteoarthritis

Xiaobo Zhu; Yau Tsz Chan; Patrick S H Yung; Rocky S Tuan; Yangzi Jiang

doi:10.3389/fcell.2020.607764

Subchondral Bone Remodeling: A Therapeutic Target for Osteoarthritis

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Jan 21:8:607764. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2020.607764. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Xiaobo Zhu^{1

2}, Yau Tsz Chan^{1

3}, Patrick S H Yung^{1

2}, Rocky S Tuan^{1

3}, Yangzi Jiang^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
² Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
³ School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

Abstract

There is emerging awareness that subchondral bone remodeling plays an important role in the development of osteoarthritis (OA). This review presents recent investigations on the cellular and molecular mechanism of subchondral bone remodeling, and summarizes the current interventions and potential therapeutic targets related to OA subchondral bone remodeling. The first part of this review covers key cells and molecular mediators involved in subchondral bone remodeling (osteoclasts, osteoblasts, osteocytes, bone extracellular matrix, vascularization, nerve innervation, and related signaling pathways). The second part of this review describes candidate treatments for OA subchondral bone remodeling, including the use of bone-acting reagents and the application of regenerative therapies. Currently available clinical OA therapies and known responses in subchondral bone remodeling are summarized as a basis for the investigation of potential therapeutic mediators.

Keywords: cellular and molecular targets; osteoarthritis; regenerative therapy; stem cells; subchondral bone; subchondral bone remodeling.

Publication types

Review