Fibrosis factor CTGF facilitates VCAM‑1‑dependent monocyte adhesion to osteoarthritis synovial fibroblasts via the FAK and JNK pathways

Liu,Shan-Chi; Law,Yat-Yin; Wu,Yu-Ying; Huang,Yuan-Li; Tsai,Chun-Hao; Chen,Wei-Cheng; Tang,Chih-Hsin

doi:10.3892/mmr.2025.13489

Fibrosis factor CTGF facilitates VCAM‑1‑dependent monocyte adhesion to osteoarthritis synovial fibroblasts via the FAK and JNK pathways

Authors:
- Shan-Chi Liu
- Yat-Yin Law
- Yu-Ying Wu
- Yuan-Li Huang
- Chun-Hao Tsai
- Wei-Cheng Chen
- Chih-Hsin Tang
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Affiliations: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City 23245, Taiwan, R.O.C., School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Orthopedics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung 413305, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Sports Medicine, College of Health Care, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, R.O.C., Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 23245, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Published online on: March 10, 2025 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2025.13489
Article Number: 124
Copyright: © Liu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 4.0].

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Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long‑term, degenerative joint disease that presents significant clinical challenges and imposes considerable financial burdens. Fibrosis is closely intertwined with the pathogenesis of various degenerative diseases, including OA. Using data from the GDS5401 dataset, the present study determined that expression levels of the fibrosis factor connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were significantly higher in OA patients than in normal individuals. The present study also identified CTGF elevated expression levels in both OA patients compared with healthy controls and in rats with anterior cruciate ligament transection‑induced OA versus controls. Stimulating OA synovial fibroblasts (OASFs) with CTGF was shown to promote vascular cell adhesion molecule‑1 (VCAM‑1) production, thereby facilitating monocyte adhesion to OASFs. Analysis of a large dataset revealed that monocytes are the only mononuclear cells with significantly elevated levels in OA patients. It also appeared that CTGF‑induced VCAM‑1 production and monocyte adhesion were mediated via the focal adhesion kinase and JNK pathways. These findings suggest that CTGF contributes to OA progression by enhancing monocyte adhesion to the synovial membrane.

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