Highlights in Pathophysiology and Treatment of Osteoarthritis
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 4819
Special Issue Editors
Interests: osteoarthritis; rheumatic diseases; microRNA; psoriatic arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: autoimmune diseases; systemic sclerosis; interstitial lung disease; rheumatoid arthritis; inflammatory rheumatic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Osteoarthritis is a highly common and disabling condition worldwide. Growing evidence shows that osteoarthritis is a complex condition in which the whole joint is involved; the degradation of articular cartilage, subchondral sclerosis, and the hyperplasia of the synovial tissue are hallmarks of the disease. Unfortunately, its pathophysiology is not yet fully understood, and multiple factors ranging from aging to biomechanical and biochemical stimuli contribute to the development and progression of osteoarthritis. The pathological changes in the joint structure are mediated by a plethora of factors, such as proteases, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, adipokines, prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and reactive oxygen species. Current data suggest that aberrant epigenetic modifications, as well as the gut microbiome, play key roles in the pathophysiology of this disease.
Our incomplete knowledge of the pathophysiology of this disease and the complexity of the pathogenic mechanisms pose a challenge in its management. In fact, current pharmacological treatments are mostly related to the relief of symptoms; disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs, aimed at reducing symptoms in addition to slowing or stopping disease progression, are not currently available. The discovery of crucial pathways characterizing this disease could offer new opportunities to identify compounds potentially able to reduce or stop osteoarthritis progression.
Our aim in launching this Special Issue is to provide an overview of emerging studies designed to identify the complex pathological mechanisms that characterize the disease and that test different pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Research articles, review articles, and communications are welcome.
Dr. Antonella Fioravanti
Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Serena Guiducci
Co-Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- osteoarthritis
- pathophysiology (cytokines, adipokines, chemokines, epigenetics, microbiome)
- cartilage
- synovial membrane
- subchondral bone
- treatment
- disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs
- non-pharmacological treatment
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
