Autophagy Activation and Protection From Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Human Chondrocytes

摘要

Objective. Autophagy is a key pathway of cellular homeostasis for removing damaged macromolecules and organelles, including mitochondria. Recent studies indicate that activation of autophagy is defective in aging and osteoarthritis (OA), contributing to cell death and tissue damage. In addition, there is increasing evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in OA pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to determine whether activation of autophagy protects against mitochondrial dysfunction in human chondrocytes.