Publications

Objectives Chondrocyte metabolic dysfunction plays an important role in osteoarthritis (OA) development during aging and obesity. Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) have recently emerged as an important regulator of cellular metabolism. We aim to study one type of PTM, lysine malonylation (MaK) and its regulator Sirt5 in OA development.

Methods Human and mouse cartilage tissues were used to measure SIRT5 and MaK levels. Both systemic and cartilage-specific conditional knockout mouse models were subject to high-fat diet (HFD) treatment to induce obesity and OA. Proteomics analysis was performed in  Sirt5 ^-/-  and WT chondrocytes. SIRT5 mutation was identified in the Utah Population Database (UPDB).

Results We found that SIRT5 decreases while MAK increases in the cartilage during aging. A combination of Sirt5 deficiency and obesity exacerbates joint degeneration in a sex dependent manner in mice. We further delineate the malonylome in chondrocytes, pinpointing MaK’s predominant impact on various metabolic pathways such as carbon metabolism and glycolysis. Lastly, we identified a rare coding mutation in  SIRT5  that dominantly segregates in a family with OA. The mutation results in substitution of an evolutionally invariant phenylalanine (Phe–F) to leucine (Leu–L) (F101L) in the catalytic domain. The mutant protein results in higher MaK level and decreased expression of cartilage ECM genes and upregulation of inflammation associated genes.

Conclusions We found that Sirt5 mediated MaK is an important regulator of chondrocyte cellular metabolism and dysregulation of Sirt5-MaK could be an important mechanism underlying aging and obesity associated OA development.

Excessive growth hormone (GH) has been shown to promote joint degeneration in both preclinical and clinical studies. Little is known about the effect of disrupted GH or GH receptor (GHR) on joint health. The goal of this study is to investigate joint pathology in mice with either germline ( GHR ^-/- ) or adult inducible ( iGHR ^-/- ) GHR deficiency. Knee joints from male and female  GHR ^-/-  and WT mice at 24 months of age were processed for histological analysis. Also, knee joints from male and female  iGHR ^-/-  and WT mice at 22 months of age were scanned by micro-CT (μCT) for subchondral bone changes and characterized  via  histology for cartilage degeneration. Joint sections were also stained for the chondrocyte hypertrophy marker, COLX, and the cartilage degeneration marker, ADAMTS-5, using immunohistochemistry. Compared to WT mice,  GHR ^-/-  mice had remarkably smooth articular joint surfaces and an even distribution of proteoglycan with no signs of degeneration. Quantitatively,  GHR ^-/-  mice had lower OARSI and Mankin scores compared to WT controls. By contrast,  iGHR ^-/-  mice were only moderately protected from developing aging-associated OA.  iGHR ^-/-  mice had a significantly lower Mankin score compared to WT. However, Mankin scores were not significantly different between  iGHR ^-/-  and WT when males and females were analyzed separately. OARSI scores did not differ significantly between WT and  iGHR ^-/-  in either individual or combined sex analyses. Both  GHR ^-/-  and  iGHR ^-/-  mice had fewer COLX ⁺  hypertrophic chondrocytes compared to WT, while no significant difference was observed in ADAMTS-5 staining. Compared to WT, a significantly lower trabecular thickness in the subchondral bone was observed in the  iGHR ^-/-  male mice but not in the female mice. However, there were no significant differences between WT and  iGHR ^-/-  mice in the bone volume to total tissue volume (BV/TV), bone mineral density (BMD), and trabecular number in either sex. This study identified that both germline and adult-induced GHR deficiency protected mice from developing aging-associated OA with more effective protection in  GHR ^-/-  mice.

Progress in mechanobiology allowed us to better understand the important role of mechanical forces in the regulation of biological processes. Space research in the field of life sciences clearly showed that gravity plays a crucial role in biological processes. The space environment offers the unique opportunity to carry out experiments without gravity, helping us not only to understand the effects of gravitational alterations on biological systems but also the mechanisms underlying mechanoperception and cell/tissue response to mechanical and gravitational stresses. Despite the progress made so far, for future space exploration programs it is necessary to increase our knowledge on the mechanotransduction processes as well as on the molecular mechanisms underlying microgravity-induced cell and tissue alterations. This white paper reports the suggestions and recommendations of the SciSpacE Science Community for the elaboration of the section of the European Space Agency roadmap "Biology in Space and Analogue Environments" focusing on "How are cells and tissues influenced by gravity and what are the gravity perception mechanisms?" The knowledge gaps that prevent the Science Community from fully answering this question and the activities proposed to fill them are discussed.

Objective: Many patients with acromegaly, a hormonal disorder with excessive growth hormone (GH) production, report pain in joints. We undertook this study to characterize the joint pathology of mice with overexpression of bovine GH (bGH) or a GH receptor antagonist (GHa) and to investigate the effect of GH on regulation of chondrocyte cellular metabolism.

Methods: Knee joints from mice overexpressing bGH or GHa and wild-type (WT) control mice were examined using histology and micro-computed tomography for osteoarthritic (OA) pathologies. Additionally, cartilage from bGH mice was used for metabolomics analysis. Mouse primary chondrocytes from bGH and WT mice, with or without pegvisomant treatment, were used for quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Seahorse respirometry analyses.

Results: Both male and female bGH mice at ~13 months of age had increased knee joint degeneration, which was characterized by loss of cartilage structure, expansion of hypertrophic chondrocytes, synovitis, and subchondral plate thinning. The joint pathologies were also demonstrated by significantly higher Osteoarthritis Research Society International and Mankin scores in bGH mice compared to WT control mice. Metabolomics analysis revealed changes in a wide range of metabolic pathways in bGH mice, including beta-alanine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, lysine degradation, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. Also, bGH chondrocytes up-regulated fatty acid oxidation and increased expression of Col10a. Joints of GHa mice were remarkably protected from developing age-associated joint degeneration, with smooth articular joint surface.

Conclusion: This study showed that an excessive amount of GH promotes joint degeneration in mice, which was associated with chondrocyte metabolic dysfunction and hypertrophic changes, whereas antagonizing GH action through a GHa protects mice from OA development.

Obesity promotes the development of osteoarthritis (OA). It is also well-established that obesity leads to excessive lipid deposition in nonadipose tissues, which often induces lipotoxicity. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in the levels of various lipids in mouse cartilage in the context of obesity and determine if chondrocyte de novo lipogenesis is altered. We used Oil Red O to determine the accumulation of lipid droplets in cartilage from mice fed high-fat diet (HFD) or low-fat diet (LFD). We further used mass spectrometry-based lipidomic analyses to quantify levels of different lipid species. Expression of genes involving in fatty acid (FA) uptake, synthesis, elongation, and desaturation were examined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. To further study the potential mechanisms, we cultured primary mouse chondrocytes under high-glucose and high-insulin conditions to mimic the local microenvironment associated with obesity and subsequently examined the abundance of cellular lipid droplets. The acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) inhibitor, ND-630, was added to the culture medium to examine the effect of inhibiting de novo lipogenesis on lipid accumulation in chondrocytes. When compared to the mice receiving LFD, the HFD group displayed more chondrocytes with visible intracellular lipid droplets. Significantly higher amounts of total FAs were also detected in the HFD group. Five out of six significantly upregulated FAs were ω-6 FAs, while the two significantly downregulated FAs were ω-3 FAs. Consequently, the HFD group displayed a significantly higher ω-6/ω-3 FA ratio. Ether linked phosphatidylcholine was also found to be higher in the HFD group. Fatty acid desaturase (Fad1-3), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (Fabp4), and fatty acid synthase (Fasn) transcripts were not found to be different between the treatment groups and fatty acid elongase (Elovl1-7) transcripts were undetectable in cartilage. Ceramide synthase 2 (Cers-2), the only transcript found to be changed in these studies, was significantly upregulated in the HFD group. In vitro, chondrocytes upregulated de novo lipogenesis when cultured under high-glucose, high-insulin conditions, and this observation was associated with the activation of ACC, which was attenuated by the addition of ND-630. This study provides the first evidence that lipid deposition is increased in cartilage with obesity and that this is associated with the upregulation of ACC-mediated de novo lipogenesis. This was supported by our observation that ACC inhibition ameliorated lipid accumulation in chondrocytes, thereby suggesting that ACC could potentially be targeted to treat obesity-associated OA.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders are most one of the most commonly reported medical conditions ( Figure 1 ), and are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. as they account for more than half of chronic conditions in people over age 50 ( Figure 1 ) ( Initiative USBaJ, 2020 ). The costs dwarf those of other conditions, coming close to 6% of the U.S. gross domestic product ( Initiative USBaJ, 2020 ). Arthritis, pain, and trauma, as well as sarcopenia, cancer cachexia and other skeletal muscle diseases are key conditions that drive this societal burden ( Arthur et al., 2014 ;  Goates et al., 2019 ;  Initiative USBaJ, 2020 ). These conditions are associated with a myriad of complex physiological changes not only involving the MSK system, but also the nervous system through integrated feedback and feedforward processes. Accordingly, we hosted a special research topic issue for  Frontiers in Physiology  that focused on integrative physiology of common chronic MSK disorders. We received 13 submissions for this special topic issue, of which seven were judged by us (the editors) and the peer-reviewers as meritorious for inclusion. These are briefly summarized here.

Growth hormone (GH) is a peptide hormone that can signal directly through its receptor or indirectly through insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) stimulation. GH draws its name from its anabolic effects on muscle and bone but also has distinct metabolic effects in multiple tissues. In addition to its metabolic and musculoskeletal effects, GH is closely associated with aging, with levels declining as individuals age but GH action negatively correlating with lifespan. GH’s effects have been studied in human conditions of GH alteration, such as acromegaly and Laron syndrome, and GH therapies have been suggested to combat aging-related musculoskeletal diseases, in part, because of the decline in GH levels with advanced age. While clinical data are inconclusive, animal models have been indispensable in understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of GH action. This review will provide a brief overview of the musculoskeletal effects of GH, focusing on clinical and animal models.

Objective: Obesity accelerates the development of osteoarthritis (OA) during aging and is associated with altered chondrocyte cellular metabolism. Protein lysine malonylation (MaK) is a posttranslational modification (PTM) that has been shown to play an important role during aging and obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of sirtuin 5 (Sirt5) in regulating MaK and cellular metabolism in chondrocytes under obesity-related conditions.

Methods: MaK and SIRT5 were immunostained in knee articular cartilage of obese  db/db  mice and different aged C57BL6 mice with or without destabilization of the medial meniscus surgery to induce OA. Primary chondrocytes were isolated from 7-day-old WT and  Sirt5 ^-/-  mice and treated with varying concentrations of glucose and insulin to mimic obesity. Sirt5-dependent effects on MaK and metabolism were evaluated by western blot, Seahorse Respirometry, and gas/chromatography-mass/spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolic profiling.

Results: MaK was significantly increased in cartilage of  db/db  mice and in chondrocytes treated with high concentrations of glucose and insulin (Glu ^hi Ins ^hi ). Sirt5 was increased in an age-dependent manner following joint injury, and Sirt5 deficient primary chondrocytes had increased MaK, decreased glycolysis rate, and reduced basal mitochondrial respiration. GC-MS identified 41 metabolites. Sirt5 deficiency altered 13 distinct metabolites under basal conditions and 18 metabolites under Glu ^hi Ins ^hi  treatment. Pathway analysis identified a wide range of Sirt5-dependent altered metabolic pathways that include amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle, and glycolysis.

Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence that Sirt5 broadly regulates chondrocyte metabolism. We observed changes in SIRT5 and MaK levels in cartilage with obesity and joint injury, suggesting that the Sirt5-MaK pathway may contribute to altered chondrocyte metabolism that occurs during OA development.

Objective: 'Carbon stress' is a newly found mechanism that links obesity and dysregulated metabolism. It is defined as the cellular accumulation of metabolites during obesity post-translationally modifying metabolic proteins and decreasing their enzymatic activity. The objective of this study was to investigate if 'carbon stress' also occurs in cartilage and contributes to obesity associated OA development.

Methods: We histologically evaluated for OA pathology in wild-type (WT) and hyperphagic mice (Pomc-neuron specific enhancer one deficient, Pomc ^Δ1 ) that were subjected to standard chow (Chow, n = 6 for both genotypes) or high-fat feeding (HFD, n = 7 for both genotypes). Joints were stained and quantified for 'carbon stress' markers, including succinyl-lysine (SCK), malonyl-lysine (MAK), and acetyl-lysine (ACK). Lastly, we used a mouse model with deletion of Sirt5 (n = 7), which is an enzyme that removes SCK and MAK, to test if changing the abundance of 'carbon stress' would affect OA pathogenesis.

Results: Both HFD and Pomc deficiency associated obesity induced cartilage degeneration as well as greater abundance of SCK and MAK in the cartilage. Pomc ^Δ1 -HFD mice did not have exacerbated OA pathology as compared to Pomc ^Δ1 -Chow mice. ACK was mildly increased in the obese groups comparing to WT-Chow. Sirt5 ^-/-  mice developed early-OA like phenotype at 40 weeks of age as characterized by cartilage fibrillation and more hypertrophic chondrocytes. Cartilage from Sirt5 ^-/-  mice also had increased SCK and MAK, while ACK remained unchanged comparing to WT mice.

Conclusion: Our data suggests that carbon stress also occurs in cartilage tissue during obesity and can potentially contribute to obesity-associated OA.

Objective: Obesity was once considered a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA) primarily for biomechanical reasons. Here we provide an additional perspective by discussing how obesity also increases OA risk by altering metabolism and inflammation.

Design: This narrative review is presented in four sections: 1) metabolic syndrome and OA, 2) metabolic biomarkers of OA, 3) evidence for dysregulated chondrocyte metabolism in OA, and 4) metabolic inflammation: joint tissue mediators and mechanisms.

Results: Metabolic syndrome and its components are strongly associated with OA. However, evidence for a causal relationship is context dependent, varying by joint, gender, diagnostic criteria, and demographics, with additional environmental and genetic interactions yet to be fully defined. Importantly, some aspects of the etiology of obesity-induced OA appear to be distinct between men and women, especially regarding the role of adipose tissue. Metabolomic analyses of serum and synovial fluid have identified potential diagnostic biomarkers of knee OA and prognostic biomarkers of disease progression. Connecting these biomarkers to cellular pathophysiology will require future in vivo studies of joint tissue metabolism. Such studies will help reveal when a metabolic process or a metabolite itself is a causal factor in disease progression. Current evidence points towards impaired chondrocyte metabolic homeostasis and metabolic-immune dysregulation as likely factors connecting obesity to the increased risk of OA.

Conclusions: A deeper understanding of how obesity alters metabolic and inflammatory pathways in synovial joint tissues is expected to provide new therapeutic targets and an improved definition of "metabolic" and "obesity" OA phenotypes.