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Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Software-Assisted Quantitative Measurement of Osteoarthritic Subchondral Bone Thickness
Published on: March 18, 2022
Subchondral bone marrow adipose tissue lipolysis regulates bone formation in hand osteoarthritis
Mauro Maniglio1, Léa Loisay2, Diego de Haro2
1Plastic and Hand Surgery, Department of Musculoskeletal Medicine, University Hospital Lausanne and University of Lausanne (CHUV-UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Hand Surgery, Balgrist University Clinic, Zürich, Switzerland.
Objective:
Bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) is emerging as an important regulator of bone formation and energy metabolism. Lipolysis of BMAT releases glycerol and fatty acid substrates that are catabolized by osteoblasts. Here, we investigated whether BMAT lipolysis is involved in subchondral bone formation in hand osteoarthritis (OA).
Methods:
Subchondral BMAT lipolysis and bone marrow adipocyte (BMAd) morphology were studied in clinical specimens of carpometacarpal (CMC-1) and distal interphalangeal joint OA. BMAd size, osteoblast numbers and expression of lipolysis enzymes (ATGL, phospho-HSL, MGLL) were compared between regions of low and high bone formation. Free fatty acids, glycerol and bone biomarkers were measured in osteochondral explants.
Results:
Subchondral BMAd size was positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.60, [0.082,0.87]) and reduced in regions of high bone formation (-1149 µm2, [-1977,-726.2]). Osteoblast numbers were negatively correlated with BMAd size (r = -0.48, [-0.73,-0.12]). All lipolysis enzymes were expressed in both in BMAds and activated osteoblasts and the area percentages of ATGL (+2.26% [0.19,3.47]), phospho-HSL (+1.57% [0.31,6.48]) and MGLL (+4.04% [1.09,5.69]) were increased in regions of high bone formation. Secreted glycerol levels, but not free fatty acids, were correlated with bone formation markers pro-collagen type I (rho = 0.90) and alkaline phosphatase (rho = 0.78).
Conclusion:
Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized role of BMAT lipolysis in regulating bone formation in hand OA, which may be modulated by BMI.
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