Abstract

Mounting evidence points to the importance of the role played by inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines or prostanoids, in the degradation of cartilage, not only in inflammatory arthritis, but also in degenerative joint diseases. In addition to well-known mediators such as interleukin-1, recent investigations have revealed the distinctive roles of a variety of other mediators in the regulation of cartilage matrix turnover. The present review focuses on the roles of inflammatory mediators in cartilage pathology that have been revealed by experimental evidence.

Keywords: chondrocytes, inflammation, mediators, cartilage degradation