Current Views on Knee Osteoarthritis: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2025 | Viewed by 1062

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases, Medical University, 4002 Tsentar, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: nailfold capillaroscopy; Raynaud’s phenomenon; systemic sclerosis; connective tissue diseases; osteoarthritis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are grateful to the researchers who contributed to the first and second volumes of this issue:

“Knee Osteoarthritis—How Close are We to Disease Modifying Treatment?”
https://www.mdpi.com/topics/osteoarthritis

“Current Views on Knee Osteoarthritis: 2nd Edition”
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/life/special_issues/7697VX464T

We are pleased to announce the upcoming publication of our Special Issue, entitled “Current Views on Knee Osteoarthritis: 3rd Edition".

OA is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and knee OA is among the most common disease localizations. There is evidence regarding the existence of different phenotypes of knee OA. However, personalized approaches to these patients are insufficiently applied. Moreover, there is no approved disease-modifying drug for the treatment of OA. Therapeutic approaches directed towards different underlying pathogenic processes in knee OA or the administration of a drug combination may slow the disease progression. In a proportion of cases, knee OA is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Increased risk of OA in obese patients was suggested to not only be a consequence of mechanical overload but to also be related to the effects of adipokines. Obesity-associated knee OA is suggested to represent a distinct phenotype—so-called metabolic knee OA. A new personalized approach towards patients with knee OA, which aims to retard disease progression, i.e., to possess disease-modifying potential, is desired.

Thus, this Special Issue aims to summarize the available knowledge on this topic. We invite you to share your research and opinions about the current views on the pathogenesis and treatment of knee OA.

Prof. Dr. Sevdalina Nikolova Lambova
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • knee osteoarthritis
  • metabolic syndrome
  • obesity
  • pathogenesis
  • adipokines
  • disease-modifying
  • treatment
  • personalized medicine

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

28 pages, 2414 KiB  
Review
Breaking Down Osteoarthritis: Exploring Inflammatory and Mechanical Signaling Pathways
by Wafa Ali Batarfi, Mohd Heikal Mohd Yunus, Adila A. Hamid, Manira Maarof and Rizal Abdul Rani
Life 2025, 15(8), 1238; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081238 - 4 Aug 2025
Viewed by 820
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, subchondral bone remodeling, and synovial inflammation. This complex disorder arises from the interplay between mechanical stress and inflammatory processes, which is mediated by interconnected molecular signaling pathways. This review explores the [...] Read more.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, subchondral bone remodeling, and synovial inflammation. This complex disorder arises from the interplay between mechanical stress and inflammatory processes, which is mediated by interconnected molecular signaling pathways. This review explores the dual roles of inflammatory and mechanical signaling in OA pathogenesis, focusing on crucial pathways such as NF-kB, JAK/STAT, and MAPK in inflammation, as well as Wnt/β-catenin, Integrin-FAK, and Hippo-YAP/TAZ in mechanotransduction. The interplay between these pathways highlights a vicious cycle wherein mechanical stress exacerbates inflammation, and inflammation weakens cartilage, increasing its vulnerability to mechanical damage. Additionally, we discuss emerging therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways, including inhibitors of cartilage-degrading enzymes, anti-inflammatory biologics, cell-based regenerative approaches, and non-pharmacological mechanical interventions. By dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying OA, this review aims to provide insights into novel interventions that address both inflammatory and mechanical components of the disease, paving the way for precision medicine in OA management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Views on Knee Osteoarthritis: 3rd Edition)
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