Table 1

Role of the ‘osteoclast–chondrocyte crosstalk’ in the pathogenesis of OA

OriginsFactorsEffectsReferences
Bone resorptionTGF-β1Induce endothelial progenitor cell and osteoprogenitor migration and chondrocyte hypertrophy and apoptosis42 60 70
IGF-1Induce chondrocyte anabolism and prevent chondrocyte maturation and apoptosis71–73
Ca-PiInduce chondrocyte catabolism74
PreosteoclastPDGF-BBModulate chondrocytes through abnormal angiogenesis61
Exosomal let-7a-5pPromote the hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes by targeting Smad275
Mature osteoclastExosomal let-7a-5pPromote the hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes by targeting Smad275
Type H endothelial cellMMP-9,
RANKL
Stimulate osteoclast migration to indirectly affect chondrocytes56
Mature osteoblastIL-6, PGE2Enhance osteoclast formation to indirectly regulate chondrocytes43–45
VEGFStimulate angiogenesis and osteoclast recruitment to indirectly affect chondrocytes46 47
RANKLStimulate osteoclast recruitment and differentiation to indirectly regulate chondrocytes46 47
MMP-9Promote osteoclast recruitment to indirectly affect chondrocytes43
SLIT3,
TGF-β1
Induce subchondral angiogenesis to indirectly affect chondrocytes57–59
OsteocyteVEGF,
TGF-β1
Stimulate angiogenesis to indirectly regulate chondrocytes33 34 41
RANKLInduce osteoclast recruitment and differentiation to indirectly modulate chondrocytes33 34
Hypertrophic chondrocyteIL-1β,
IL-6,
TNF-α
Induce osteoclast differentiation directly or indirectly76–81
RANKL, VEGFInduce osteoclast chemotaxis and differentiation82 83
HMGB1Promote osteoclast recruitment to indirectly affect chondrocytes84 85
Senescent chondrocyteSASPPromote osteoclast chemotaxis and differentiation86 87
Apoptotic chondrocyteCXCL12Enhance osteoclast recruitment and differentiation91–93
Necrotic chondrocyteDAMPsPromote osteoclast formation94 95