RANKL-mediated osteoclastic subchondral bone loss at a very early stage precedes subsequent cartilage degeneration and uncoupled bone remodeling in a mouse knee osteoarthritis model.

Introduction: Uncoupled bone remodeling in the subchondral bone (SB) has recently been considered as an important process in the progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). In this study, we aimed to investigate changes in SB and articular cartilage using a mouse model of destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) and determine the effects of bone metabolism on KOA progression.

Methods: DMM or sham surgery was performed on the left knees of 40-week-old male wild-type (WT) mice and Tsukuba hypertensive mice (THM), which exhibit high-turnover bone metabolism.