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Li H, Jiang X, Xiao Y, Zhang Y, Zhang W, Doherty M, Nestor J, Li C, Ye J, Sha T, Lyu H, Wei J, Zeng C, Lei G. Combining single-cell RNA sequencing and population-based studies reveals hand osteoarthritis-associated chondrocyte subpopulations and pathways. Bone Res 2023; 11:58. [PMID: 37914703 PMCID: PMC10620170 DOI: 10.1038/s41413-023-00292-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Hand osteoarthritis is a common heterogeneous joint disorder with unclear molecular mechanisms and no disease-modifying drugs. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis to compare the cellular composition and subpopulation-specific gene expression between cartilage with macroscopically confirmed osteoarthritis (n = 5) and cartilage without osteoarthritis (n = 5) from the interphalangeal joints of five donors. Of 105 142 cells, we identified 13 subpopulations, including a novel subpopulation with inflammation-modulating potential annotated as inflammatory chondrocytes. Fibrocartilage chondrocytes exhibited extensive alteration of gene expression patterns in osteoarthritic cartilage compared with nonosteoarthritic cartilage. Both inflammatory chondrocytes and fibrocartilage chondrocytes showed a trend toward increased numbers in osteoarthritic cartilage. In these two subpopulations from osteoarthritic cartilage, the ferroptosis pathway was enriched, and expression of iron overload-related genes, e.g., FTH1, was elevated. To verify these findings, we conducted a Mendelian randomization study using UK Biobank and a population-based cross-sectional study using data collected from Xiangya Osteoarthritis Study. Genetic predisposition toward higher expression of FTH1 mRNA significantly increased the risk of hand osteoarthritis (odds ratio = 1.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.11) among participants (n = 332 668) in UK Biobank. High levels of serum ferritin (encoded by FTH1), a biomarker of body iron overload, were significantly associated with a high prevalence of hand osteoarthritis among participants (n = 1 241) of Xiangya Osteoarthritis Study (P-for-trend = 0.037). In conclusion, our findings indicate that inflammatory and fibrocartilage chondrocytes are key subpopulations and that ferroptosis may be a key pathway in hand osteoarthritis, providing new insights into the pathophysiology and potential therapeutic targets of hand osteoarthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaofeng Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongbing Xiao
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- The Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Weiya Zhang
- Academic Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis UK, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, UK
| | - Michael Doherty
- Academic Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, UK
- Pain Centre Versus Arthritis UK, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, UK
| | - Jacquelyn Nestor
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Changjun Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Endocrinology, Endocrinology Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Jing Ye
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tingting Sha
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Houchen Lyu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Jie Wei
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Chao Zeng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Guanghua Lei
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Aging-related Bone and Joint Diseases Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
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