The role of CXCL10 in cartilage development and diseases

CXC motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), also known as interferon γ-induced protein 10 kDa, is a pleiotropic member of the CXC chemokine family and plays a potent role in cellular functions and pathophysiological processes, which include but are not limited to recruitment of immune cells, induction of cellular apoptosis, regulation of cell growth and proliferation, and inhibition of angiogenesis. The CXCL10/CXCR3 axis has been shown to initiate and promote a wide variety of cartilage diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), and thus been considered as a potential biomarker for clinical prediction and monitoring. Moreover, with a strong ability to recruit mesenchymal stem cells to repair cartilage defects in joint lesions, CXCL10 is a promising candidate for cartilage tissue engineering. However, the understanding of CXCL10 on cartilage development, matrix synthesis and degradation, and joint disease progression is still largely limited. In this review, we systematically summarized the biological functions of CXCL10 and updated its latest progress in cartilage physiological and pathological processes, aiming to provide new clues for the treatment of cartilage diseases.