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. 2024 Sep;32(9):1126-1133.
doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2024.07.008. Epub 2024 Jul 23.

Epigenomic differences between osteoarthritis grades in primary cartilage

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Free article

Epigenomic differences between osteoarthritis grades in primary cartilage

Peter Kreitmaier et al. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2024 Sep.
Free article

Abstract

Objective: Osteoarthritis is a common and complex joint disorder that shows higher prevalence and greater disease severity in women. Here, we investigate genome-wide methylation profiles of primary chondrocytes from osteoarthritis patients.

Design: We compare genome-wide methylation profiles of macroscopically intact (low-grade) and degraded (high-grade) osteoarthritis cartilage samples matched from osteoarthritis patients undergoing knee replacement surgery. We perform an epigenome-wide association study for cartilage degeneration across 170 patients and separately in 96 women and 74 men.

Results: We reveal widespread epigenetic differences with enrichments of nervous system and apoptosis-related processes. We further identify substantial similarities between sexes, but also sex-specific markers and pathways.

Conclusions: Together, we provide the largest genome-wide methylation profiles of primary cartilage to date with enhanced and sex-specific insights into epigenetic processes underlying osteoarthritis progression.

Keywords: Cartilage; Chondrocytes; DNA methylation; EWAS; Osteoarthritis; Sex specificity.

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