Comorbid hypertension and osteoarthritis exacerbates joint remodeling and gait compensations in female rats with milder effects observed in males.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Osteoarthritis (OA) often presents with comorbidities such as hypertension, potentially accelerating OA pathogenesis. We hypothesized that hypertension would exacerbate joint-level pathogenesis and OA-related symptoms in a sex-dependent manner.

Methods

Male and female Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (hypertensive) and Sprague Dawley rats (normotensive) underwent either medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus transection (OA) or skin incision (sham) in the right knee (N ​= ​80; n ​= ​10/group/sex). Symptoms were measured monthly (gait) and bi-weekly (tactile sensitivity) for 8 weeks. Endpoint histology assessed joint-level damage, neurovascular changes, and cytokine levels in synovial fluid.

Results

At endpoint, hypertensive-OA rats had thinner cartila

SUBMITTER: Cruz CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12305719 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature