Role of Immunologically Induced Senescent Cell Activity on the Progression of Posttraumatic OsteoArthritis (RISC-OA)

Role of Immunologically induced Senescent Cell activity on the progression of posttraumatic OsteoArthritis (RISC-OA) Cellular senescence has been associated with aging and the progression of idiopathic knee osteoarthritis. However, our previous in vitro and pilot clinical studies suggest that stress-induced senescence activated by the immunologic response following injury senescence may play an active role in posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) progression. The menisci may be particularly susceptible to immunologically-induced senescent cell (SnC) activity after injury, creating a sustained pro-inflammatory state that may contribute to progressive changes in cartilage composition. Meniscus injury is known to increase the risk of PTOA but surgical treatment alone does not eliminate PTOA risk. This is clinically meaningful as arthroscopic meniscal procedures are the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedure in the U.S. affecting 15% of Americans ages 10-65 years. Since effective interventions for PTOA do not exist, it is imperative to assess the role of SnC activity on PTOA progression to identify potential novel therapeutic targets. The goals of this observational clinical study to are to: 1) identify progressive changes in cellular senescence following meniscus injury and surgical treatment, 2) determine whether SnC activity contributes to progressive changes in cartilage composition, and 3) evaluate the role of SnC activity on patient-reported outcomes and function in the year following meniscus injury.