Age-Associated Changes in Knee Osteoarthritis, Pain-Related Behaviors, and Dorsal Root Ganglia Immunophenotyping of Male and Female Mice.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic pain, yet OA pain management remains poor. Age is the strongest predictor of OA development, and mechanisms driving OA pain are unclear. We undertook this study to characterize age-associated changes in knee OA, pain-related behaviors, and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) molecular phenotypes in mice of both sexes.

Methods

Male or female C57BL/6 mice 6 or 20 months of age were evaluated for histopathologic knee OA, pain-related behaviors, and L3-L5 DRG immune characterization via flow cytometry. DRG gene expression in older mice and humans was also examined.

Results

Male mice at 20 months of age had worse cartilage degeneration than 6-month-old mice. Older female mouse knees showed increased cartilage degeneration

SUBMITTER: Geraghty T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10543384 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature