title: Asporin and osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of the literature describing the role of asporin, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP), in osteoarthritis (OA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was performed and reviewed using the narrative approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a class I SLRP member, asporin, is distinct from other SLRPs. Accumulating evidence demonstrates the involvement of asporin in OA pathogenesis. Many human studies have been conducted to explore the association between the D-repeat polymorphisms and OA susceptibility, but these yield inconsistent results. Possible mechanisms for the involvement of asporin in OA pathology include its influence on TGF-β (transforming growth factor-β) signaling pathways and collagen mineralization. To date, no studies were found to use an asporin-deficient animal model that would help to understand disease mechanisms. Many issues must be addressed to clarify the link between asporin and OA to provide a novel therapeutic strategy for OA, perhaps through controlling and modifying the TGF-β-ECM system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies examined demonstrate the involvement of asporin in OA pathogenesis, and possible mechanisms by which asporin may be involved in this process have been proposed. However, large-scale interracial studies should be conducted to investigate the association between asporin and OA, and further investigations are needed to obtain a better understanding of the disease mechanism, develop novel therapeutic strategies, and explore new approaches for diagnosis of OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, China.
authors.forename: S-Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, China.
authors.forename: S-Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, China. Electronic address: fgxni@graduate.hku.hk.
authors.forename: G-X
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C439889:ASPN protein, human; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
keywords: Asporin; Osteoarthritis; Small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans