Chapter 68: Arthritis Flashcards
Define osteoarthritis:
The aberrant repair and eventual degradation of articular cartilage in association with alterations in subchondral bone metabolism, periarticular osteophytosis and a variable degree of synovial inflammation
What percentage of adult cats/dogs have OA?
- 60% adult cats
- 20% adult dogs
What factors contribute to an individuals susceptibility to OA?
- Genetics
- Age
- Systemic factors (eg obesity)
How do chondrocytes change as they age?
- Synthesize smaller, less uniform aggregan molecules and less functional link proteins
- Mitotic and synthetic activities decline
- Responsiveness to anabolic mechanical stimuli and growth factors decreases
What is C-terminal truncation of aggregans?
An aging process in which length and uniformity of aggregan molecules is diminished
- Shorter molecules contain fewer chondroitin sulfate side chains but greater quantities of keratin sulfate
- Therefore, have less ability in imbibe water reducing the compressive stiffness
How does obesity predispose to the formation of OA?
How much more likely were dogs fed ad lib vs 25% less fed over their lifetime?
- Increases load on the joints
- Alters joint alignment - Focal overloads
- Causes a systemic subclinical proinflammatory state with increased circulating adipokines such as TNF, IL-6 and leptin
TNF and IL-6 have a role in degradation of articular cartilage
Dogs fed ad lib were 2x as likely to get OA
What are the three overlapping stages of articular cartilage changes with OA?
- Extracellular matrix degrades, water content increased, size of aggregan molecules decreased and structure of collagen network is damaged leading to reduced stiffness
- Chondrocytes try to compensate through enhanced proliferation and metabolic activity. Cell clusters appear surrounded by newly synthesized matrix molecules.
- Chondrocytes are no longer able to keep up, resulting in complete loss of cartilage tissue
Phase 1/2 - thickness, swelling as proliferate -> phase 3 lose the battle and thins away
What inflammatory cytokines are known to upregulate the synthesis of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and other proteolytic enzymes?
IL-1
IL-17
IL-18
TNF-a
Synthesis of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPS) are concomitantly decreased
What role does COX play in OA?
Chondrocytes from human OA cartilage explants express COX-2 and spontaneously produce PGE2
- PGE2 decreases proteoglycan synthesis and enhances degradation of aggrecan and Type II collagen
- Upregulation of MMP-13, disintegrin and ADAMTS-5
- Downregulation of MMP-1
What role does nitrous oxide (NO) play in OA?
NO is a major catabolic factor produced by chondrocytes in response to proinflammatory cytokines IL-1b and TNF-a
- Promotes chondrocyte apoptosis, most likely via mitochondrial dysfunction
What enzymes are known to degrade aggrecan, a very early event in canine OA?
MMP-13
Aggrecanases (ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5)
What enzymes can degrade the triple helix of Type II collagen?
MMP-1 and MMP-13
maybe MMP-8 and MMP-14
What is the most abundant noncollagenous protein in articular cartilage?
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein
What growth factors can stimulate aggrecan and collagen synthesis?
IGF-1
IGF-2
TGF-b
What is the synovium?
A discontinuous layer of fibroblast-like and macrophage-like cells that lines the joint capsule
It is the key tissue in OA pain
It is called the synovial membrane but it is not a membrane
What cell is a key cell in driving synovial control of cartilage metabolism?
Macrophages (through release of catabolic cytokines IL-1b and TNFa)
What cells are the precursors of osteophytes?
Mesenchymal stem cells present in periosteum or synovial lining
What fibers are found in joint nerves?
What are silent nociceptors?
- Abeta-fibers
- Adelta-fibers
- C-fibers
**C-fibers are silent nociceptors because they do not respond to pain in the normal joint but do have hyperalgesia from mechanical stimuli in inflamed joints
What enzyme plays a role in central sensitisation?
COX enzymes
COX inhibitors can prevent establishment of central sensitization
What imaging method can detect differences in glycosaminoglycan content in articular cartilage?
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI
What weight loss pharmaceuticals are licensed for use in dogs?
- Mitratapide
- Dirlotapide (also appetite suppressant)
Both are microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitors
What are the expected cell counts and differential counts of normal synovial fluid, OA, rheumatoid, Nonerosive IMPA and Infective arthritis?
Normal joint: <2 x 10^9/L >94% mono
OA joint: 2-5 x 10^9/L >88% mono
Rheumatoid joint: 8-38 x 10^9/L 20-80% mono
Nonerosive IMPA: 4-370 x 10^9/L 5-85% mono
Infective arthritis: 40-267 x 10^9/L 1-10% monos (almost all neuts)