About this Research Topic
The aging process in the bone and joint system affects the quality and length of life. Loss of bone mass, degraded articular cartilage, and degenerated, herniated intervertebral discs are primary features of bone and joint aging, which lead to pain and disability. Cellular senescence is one of the key factors of aging which plays a pivotal role in age-related disease. Cellular senescence refers to a process induced by various types of stress that causes irreversible cell cycle arrest and distinct cellular alterations, including profound changes in gene expression, metabolism, and chromatin organization as well as the unique secretory pattern known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). More and more studies have revealed that senescent cells accumulate in the bone and joint with aging lead to a series of degenerative changes such as osteoporosis (OP), osteoarthritis (OA), intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), etc. At the same time, massive efforts have been made to develop "senolytic" or "rejuvenescence" drugs, which eliminate senescent cells or reverse aging phenotype without affecting normal cells. Some medications and intervention methods have shown exciting prospects in the treatment of bone and joint degeneration.
In this Research Topic, we hope to provide a broad and updated overview of the role of aging and cellular senescence in bone and joint diseases, as well as new diagnosis and therapy methods related. We welcome Original Research Articles and Reviews on potential subtopics including, but not limited to, the following:
• The novel mechanism of cellular senescence in bone and joint diseases.
• The role of senescence related pathways or pathogenic mediators in bone and joint diseases.
• The relationship between organ or system (skin, skeletal muscle, vascular, immune system, etc.) aging and bone and joint diseases.
• The application of new strategies for eliminating senescent cells or reversing aging phenotype in the treatment of bone and joint diseases.
• Identification of specific aging markers in bone and joint diseases and its role in disease grading, staging and prognosis.
Keywords: aging, senescence, degeneration, osteoporosis, intervertebral disc degeneration, osteoarthritis
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