Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA with 4977-bp deletion in knee cartilage – an association with idiopathic osteoarthritis

• Published in: Osteoarthritis and cartilage Vol. 13; no. 11; pp. 1004 - 1011
• Main Authors: Chang, Ming-Chau, Hung, Shih-Chieh, Chen, Winby York-Kwan, Chen, Tzu-Ling, Lee, Cheng-Feng, Lee, Hsin-Chen, Wang, Kai-Li, Chiou, Chung-Chih, Wei, Yau-Huei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2005
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Aging - genetics; Aging - pathology; Cadaver; Cartilage, Articular - chemistry; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Chromatography, Gel - methods; Deletion; DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics; Female; Femur - chemistry; Femur - pathology; Gene Deletion; Humans; Idiopathic osteoarthritis; Knee Joint - chemistry; Knee Joint - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Mitochondrial DNA; Osteoarthritis, Knee - genetics; Osteoarthritis, Knee - pathology; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Aging; Deletion; Mitochondrial DNA; Idiopathic osteoarthritis
• ISSN: 1063-4584; 1522-9653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2005.06.011

Since mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations have been established to associate with the aging process and some degenerative diseases, we investigated the correlation between idiopathic osteoarthritis (OA) and the 4977-bp mtDNA deletion. Cartilage were collected from six sites in knee joints removed from 18 aged patients with idiopathic OA, 10 aged non-OA cadavers, 3 young cadavers (YC), and lateral femoral condyle of 9 young patients. Histopathologic changes were examined and the common 4977-bp mtDNA deletions were analyzed in young and elderly cartilages obtained from different sites in the knee joint. The association of the 4977-bp deletion of mtDNA with idiopathic OA and aging was evaluated. The 4977-bp mtDNA deletion was detected in 17 of the 18 OA patients, 9 of the 10 aged non-OA cadavers, and 1 of the 3 YC. None of the nine specimens collected from the lateral femoral condyle of young patients had a detectable deletion of mtDNA. The 4977-bp mtDNA deletion was not significantly correlated with the severity of OA graded by the Mankin score. The frequencies of occurrence of the 4977-bp mtDNA deletion were significantly different between the OA group and the aged non-OA control group (P=0.004) and between the aged non-OA group and the young control group (P=0.002). The results suggest that accumulation of the 4977-bp deletion of mtDNA in knee cartilage increases with age and may play a role in the development of idiopathic OA in the knee joint.