Chondrocyte dedifferentiation and osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive cartilage degradation but also synovial membrane inflammation, osteophyte formation and subchondral bone sclerosis. Medical care is mainly based on alleviating pain symptoms, but to date, no effective drug can stop the disease progression. Cartilage is a tissue composed of only one cell type, chondrocytes, wrapped in a collagen rich extracellular matrix they synthesize. Chondrocytes can adopt different phenotypes in vivo and in vitro, defined by the collagen type they produce. Isolated from their matrix, chondrocytes present the particularity to dedifferentiate, producing fibroblastic type I and III collagens. With OA onset, chondrocytes undergo multiple changes, in terms of proliferation, viability, but also secretory profile. The acquisition of a hypertrophic phenotype (producing aberrant type X collagen and catabolic MMP-13 protease) by chondrocytes is well documented and contributes to OA development. However, it is increasingly believed that chondrocytes rather acquire a variety of degenerated phenotypes at the onset of OA, including a “dedifferentiated-like” phenotype that might also contribute to OA progression. In this review, we will (i) present molecular knowledge underlying dedifferentiation process, (ii) emphasize connections between dedifferentiation and OA and (iii) consider OA therapeutic strategies aiming at the maintenance of chondrogenic phenotype.