title: Leptin in osteoarthritis: Focus on articular cartilage and chondrocytes.
abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex joint disorder with a number of underlying physical, biochemical, biomechanical and genetic causes. Obesity is considered to be one of the major risk factors for the development and progression of OA. It actively contributes to the inflammatory status and to cartilage degradation in the OA joints. Recent data suggests that metabolic factors produced by white adipose tissue, such as leptin, may provide a mechanistic link between obesity and OA, providing an explanation for the high prevalence of OA among obese and over-weight individuals. The unbalanced production of catabolic and anabolic mediators by chondrocytes, the only cell type present in cartilage, determines cartilage degradation, which is the central pathological feature of OA. Evidence is accumulating to support a key role for leptin in the pathogenesis and/or progression of OA. The goal of this focused review is to summarize the current knowledge on the role of leptin in OA with particular emphasis on the effects of this adipokine in cartilage and chondrocyte pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: SERGAS, Research Laboratory 9 (NEIRID LAB: Neuroendocrine Interactions in Rheumatology and Inflammatory Diseases), Institute of Medical Research (IDIS), Santiago University Clinical Hospital, Santiago de Compostela 15706, Spain; The D-BOARD European Consortium for Biomarker Discovery, Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom. Electronic address: morena.scotece@sergas.es.
authors.forename: Morena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scotece
authors.affiliation: The D-BOARD European Consortium for Biomarker Discovery, Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom; Arthritis Research UK Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis, Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre, Medical Research Council and Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom; Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research (CEGMR), King Fahd Medical Research Center (KFMRC), King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: anerom84@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mobasheri
mesh_terms: D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000502:physiology*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Adipokine; Cartilage; Chondrocyte; Inflammation; Leptin; Obesity; Osteoarthritis (OA)