Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41200799›Full record

ArticleCartilage2025

Leucine Attenuates Osteoarthritis via mTORC1/LXRα-Mediated Macrophage Reprogramming and Rspo2/β-Catenin Axis Suppression.

Ke Zheng, Jiebin Zhang, Wenxiang Liu, Bin Xu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cartilage, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ke ZhengDepartment of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Jiebin ZhangDepartment of Orthopedics, Anhui No.2 Provincial People's Hospital, Hefei, China.
Wenxiang LiuDepartment of Orthopedics, Anhui No.2 Provincial People's Hospital, Hefei, China.
Bin XuDepartment of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.ORCID 0009-0001-4945-8931

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study investigates the molecular mechanism by which leucine (Leu) ameliorates collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) through macrophage polarization regulation.MethodsA CIOA mouse model was established and evaluated by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histopathological analysis. Leu intervention was administered, and its therapeutic effects on cartilage degeneration and osteophyte formation were assessed. Integrated multi-omics analyses and mechanistic assays were performed to explore the role of the mTORC1/LXRα pathway in synovial macrophage reprogramming and its regulation of the Rspo2/β-catenin axis in chondroprogenitors. Functional validation was conducted using the LXRα inhibitor GSK2033.ResultsLeu intervention demonstrated significant therapeutic effects, reducing cartilage degeneration by 42% (Osteoarthritis Research Society International [OARSI] score) and osteophyte formation by 58% (volume reduction). Integrated multi-omics and mechanistic assays indicated that Leu activated mTORC1/LXRα to reprogram synovial macrophages toward an M2-like state, suppressed Rspo2, and attenuated β-catenin signaling in chondroprogenitors, thereby improving cartilage function. Functional validation using LXRα inhibitor GSK2033 confirmed pathway specificity, reversing Leu-mediated cartilage protection and reactivating osteogenic differentiation.ConclusionThese findings establish a novel "metabolism-immunity-cartilage" axis in which Leu coordinates mTORC1/LXRα-driven macrophage reprogramming with Rspo2/β-catenin axis suppression, offering dual-target therapeutic potential for osteoarthritis. The study redefines nutritional amino acids as immunometabolic modulators in degenerative joint diseases, proposing Leu supplementation as a viable strategy for interrupting the inflammation-bone remodeling cycle in traumatic arthritis. No clinical trials were involved in this preclinical investigation.

Indexed as

leucinemacrophage polarizationmammalian target of rapamycin complex 1/liver X receptor α signaling pathwayR-spondin 2β-catenin signaling pathway

Identifiers

PMID41200799
PMCPMC12597797

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.