Cartilage Degradation: The Structural Consequence of Unchecked Inflammation

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Sustained inflammatory signaling translates into irreversible structural damage through a coordinated assault on cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity. Understanding this degradation sequence is essential for evaluating any intervention that claims chondroprotective or structure-modifying effects.

Degradation Cascade

MMP Upregulation

Inflammatory cytokines — primarily IL-1β and TNF-α — transcriptionally upregulate MMP-3 (stromelysin-1) and MMP-13 (collagenase-3), the dominant proteases responsible for degrading type II collagen and aggrecan, the two principal structural components of articular cartilage.