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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

The Monoiodoacetate Model of Osteoarthritis Pain in the Mouse
Published on: May 16, 2016
M2-sEVs-based immunotherapy for alleviation of osteoarthritis-related pain by regulating synovial macrophage NGF
Jiashuo Liu1, Luhao Sun1, Lei Luo1,2
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Institute of Microsurgery on Extremities, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Aim:
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease characterized primarily by chronic pain. Currently, there are no highly effective treatments for OA pain. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of M2 macrophage-derived small extracellular vesicles (M2-sEVs) in treating OA and alleviating its associated pain, and to investigate their mechanism of action in pain relief.
Methods:
M2-sEVs were isolated via ultracentrifugation. A sodium iodoacetate-induced rat OA model was established to assess the effects of M2-sEVs. RNA sequencing was utilized to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying these analgesic effects, with subsequent validation experiments conducted via RT-qPCR, Western blot, and ELISA assays. Human end-stage OA synovial tissues cultured ex vivo were also utilized to confirm clinical relevance.
Results:
M2-sEVs administration alleviated pain behaviors and joint pathology in OA rats, suppressing pain-related molecules in synovium and dorsal root ganglia. Mechanistically, M2-sEVs inhibited synovial macrophage-derived nerve growth factor (NGF) by modulating the Notch pathway. Importantly, this therapeutic mechanism was validated in ex vivo cultured human synovial tissues.
Conclusion:
M2-sEVs effectively reduce OA-related pain by suppressing macrophage-derived NGF expression via the Notch pathway, highlighting their promising potential as a nanomedicine-based therapeutic strategy for OA pain management.
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