-
Synovial fibroblasts assume distinct functional identities and secrete R-spondin 2 in osteoarthritis (Knights et al 2023)
Synovial fibroblasts assume distinct functional identities during PTOA in mice, and Prg4+ lining fibroblasts secrete Rspo2 that may drive pathological joint crosstalk after injury.
-
Synovial macrophage diversity and activation of M-CSF signaling in post-traumatic osteoarthritis (Knights et al 2025)
We defined different synovial macrophage subpopulations present in healthy and injured mouse synovium. Nuanced characterization of the distinct functions, origins, and disease kinetics of macrophage subtypes in PTOA will be critical for targeting these highly versatile cells for therapeutic purposes. [First published as a reviewed preprint, 2023]
-
Inflammation in osteoarthritis: the latest progress and ongoing challenges (Knights et al 2023)
Osteoarthritis is a debilitating chronic disease that manifests with widely varying symptomatology. Inflammation is now appreciated as a key pathophysiological process in osteoarthritis, but there remain considerable gaps in our understanding of its role in disease progression and how best to target the inflammatory response for therapeutic interventions.
-
Acetylcholine‐synthesizing macrophages in subcutaneous fat are regulated by β2‐adrenergic signaling (Knights et al 2021)
Here, we reveal that macrophages are the cellular protagonists responsible for secreting acetylcholine to regulate thermogenic activation in subcutaneous fat, and we term these cells cholinergic adipose macrophages (ChAMs). An adaptive increase in ChAM abundance is evident following acute cold exposure, and macrophage‐specific deletion of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the enzyme for acetylcholine biosynthesis, impairs the cold‐induced thermogenic capacity of mice
-
Eosinophil function in adipose tissue is regulated by Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3) (Knights et al 2020)
Here we show profound beiging in a genetic mouse model lacking the transcriptional repressor Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3). Bone marrow transplants from these animals confer the beige phenotype on wild type recipients. Analysis of the cellular and molecular changes reveal an accumulation of eosinophils in adipose tissue. We examine the transcriptomic profile of adipose-resident eosinophils and posit that KLF3 regulates adipose tissue function via transcriptional control of secreted molecules linked to beiging.