Targeting senescence to combat osteoarthritis

Arthritis During senescence, cells remain in a state of growth arrest. Accumulation of similar nonfunctional cells has been linked to chronic inflammatory diseases and degenerative disorders. Inflammation after joint injury is a common sequela. Jeon et al. sought to understand whether senescence was involved in the development of osteoarthritis by using a model of anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Senescent cells assembled in the traumatized knee joint and triggered development of osteoarthritis and cartilage erosion in mice. By injecting a drug that caused the specific removal of these cells, the arthritis symptoms were alleviated, and cartilage regeneration and recovery were improved. Nat. Med. 10.1038/nm.4324 (2017).