Inflammatory gradients in the infrapatellar fat pad of knee osteoarthritis: implications for joint damage.

ABSTRACT: The infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), exhibiting marked histological changes as the disease progresses. However, the intra-tissue variations within KOA-affected IFP remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined IFP tissues from KOA patients at different disease stages, assessing inflammatory damage through histological evaluation via H&E staining. Based on the extent of tissue damage, we classified IFP regions into inflammatory and non-inflammatory layers. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemical analyses were then employed to compare the expression of joint damage-associated molecules and immune cell infiltration between these two regions. Our results reveal a pronounced inflammatory response in the IFP tissue

SUBMITTER: Yang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12822227 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature