Increase in CD5L expression in the synovial membrane of knee osteoarthritis patients with obesity

Obesity appears to be a powerful risk factor for the development of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), but the mechanisms of this are not fully understood. CD5L is expressed in tissue macrophages and is increased in obese mice. We hypothesized that CD5L expression is increased in the synovial membrane (SM) of obese KOA patients. Here, we investigated CD5L expression in the SM of these patients.

Ninety KOA patients (26 males, 64 females) were allocated to one of three groups based on body mass index (BMI): normal weight (NW, < 25 kg/m²), overweight (OW, 25-29.99 kg/m²) and obese (OB, ≥ 30 kg/m²), according to the World Health Organization BMI classification (each n = 30). Expression of CD5L in SM among the groups was compared using real-time polymerase chain reaction. To investigate CD5L-expressing cells in SM, CD14⁺ (macrophage fraction) and CD14^- (fibroblast fraction) cells were separated from the SM.

CD5L expression was significantly higher in the OB group than in the NW and OW groups (p < 0.001). CD5L expression was observed in the CD14⁺ fraction but not in the CD14^- fraction.

CD5L is highly expressed in the SM of KOA patients with obesity. Further investigation is required to identify the role of CD5L in the relationship between KOA pathology and obesity.