Estrogen receptor Alpha in human knee articular cartilage of healthy and osteoarthritic females

Objective: Estrogen and osteoarthritis association has previously been proposed. This study evaluates the presence of estrogen receptors (ER)-alpha in articular cartilage, and its association. Methods: A prospective cohort study of women undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (controls) or total knee arthroplasty (cases) was performed. Cartilage samples were processed and ER-alpha expression was quantified. Results: Twenty patients were included: 12 cases and 8 controls. ER-alpha expression was higher in the case subjects. Conclusion: Increased ER-alpha expression is associated with age, and degeneration. This suggests estrogen deficiency is a risk for osteoarthritis and is inversely related to proliferative looking chondrocytes.

Automated summary

The study observed a higher expression of ER-alpha in female patients undergoing knee reconstruction surgery. Additionally, increased ER-alpha expression was found to be associated with age and cartilage degeneration, indicating a potential link between estrogen deficiency and the risk of osteoarthritis.