Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases "Prof Dr Anton Mitov", Faculty of Medicine, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Department of Rheumatology, MHAT "Sveti Mina", 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 May 12;25(10):5263. doi: 10.3390/ijms25105263.
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) is based on radiological changes that are delayed, along with clinical symptoms. Early and very early diagnosis at the stage of molecular pathology may eventually offer an opportunity for early therapeutic intervention that may retard and prevent future damage. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a non-collagenous extracellular matrix protein that promotes the secretion and aggregation of collagen and contributes to the stability of the extracellular matrix. There are contradictory literature data and currently, the parameter is used only for scientific purposes and its significance is not well-determined. The serum level of COMP in patients with metabolic type OA of the knee has not been evaluated. The aim of the study was to analyze serum COMP levels in metabolic knee OA and controls with different BMI. Our results showed that the mean COMP values were significantly higher in the control group (1518.69 ± 232.76 ng/mL) compared to the knee OA patients (1294.58 ± 360.77 ng/mL) ( = 0.0012). This may be related to the smaller cartilage volume in OA patients. Additionally, COMP levels negatively correlated with disease duration ( = 0.04). The COMP level in knee OA with BMI below 30 kg/m ( = 61, 1304.50 ± 350.60 ng/mL) was higher compared to cases with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m ( = 76, 1286.63 ± 370.86 ng/mL), but the difference was not significant ( = 0.68). Whether this finding is related to specific features in the evolution of the metabolic type of knee OA remains to be determined. Interestingly, comparison of COMP levels in the controls with different BMI revealed significantly higher values in overweight and obese individuals (1618.36 ± 203.76 ng/mL in controls with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m, = 18, 1406.61 ± 216.41 ng/mL, = 16; = 0.0092). Whether this finding is associated with increased expression of COMP in the adipose tissue or with more intensive cartilage metabolism in relation to higher biomechanical overload in obese patients, considering the earlier development of metabolic type knee OA as an isolated finding, remains to be determined.
骨关节炎（OA）的诊断基于放射学改变，这些改变是延迟的，同时伴有临床症状。在分子病理学的早期和极早期进行诊断，最终可能有机会进行早期治疗干预，从而延缓和预防未来的损伤。软骨寡聚基质蛋白（COMP）是一种非胶原蛋白细胞外基质蛋白，可促进胶原蛋白的分泌和聚集，并有助于细胞外基质的稳定性。文献中有相互矛盾的数据，目前该参数仅用于科学目的，其意义尚未确定。尚未评估代谢性膝 OA 患者的血清 COMP 水平。本研究的目的是分析不同 BMI 的代谢性膝 OA 患者和对照组的血清 COMP 水平。我们的结果表明，对照组的平均 COMP 值（1518.69 ± 232.76 ng/mL）明显高于膝 OA 患者（1294.58 ± 360.77 ng/mL）（ = 0.0012）。这可能与 OA 患者的软骨体积较小有关。此外，COMP 水平与疾病持续时间呈负相关（ = 0.04）。BMI 低于 30 kg/m 的膝 OA 患者的 COMP 水平（ = 61，1304.50 ± 350.60 ng/mL）高于 BMI 大于或等于 30 kg/m 的患者（ = 76，1286.63 ± 370.86 ng/mL），但差异无统计学意义（ = 0.68）。这种发现是否与代谢性膝 OA 演变的特定特征有关仍有待确定。有趣的是，比较不同 BMI 的对照组的 COMP 水平发现，超重和肥胖个体的数值明显更高（BMI 大于或等于 25 kg/m 的对照组为 1618.36 ± 203.76 ng/mL， = 18，1406.61 ± 216.41 ng/mL， = 16； = 0.0092）。这种发现是否与脂肪组织中 COMP 的表达增加有关，或者与肥胖患者更高的生物力学过载有关的更活跃的软骨代谢有关，考虑到代谢性膝 OA 的较早发展是一种孤立的发现，仍有待确定。
