CRTAC1 in Osteoarthritis: Implications for Disease Severity and miRNA Regulation

Aneta Prokopcová¹, Jiri Baloun², Adéla Navrátilová³, Klára Mocová², Lucia Ondrejčáková⁴, Jana Juhaszova², Tereza Kropáčková¹, Hana Storkanova⁵, Michal Tomcik⁵, Jindriska Gatterova², Olga Sleglova², Olga Ruzickova², Eva Kriegova⁶, Jiri Gallo⁷, Rastislav Ballay⁸, Petr Fulin⁹, Jiří Vencovský¹ and Ladislav Šenolt¹, ¹Institute of Rheumatology and Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, ²Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic, ³1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Institute of Rheumatology in Prague, Hlavní mesto Praha, Czech Republic, ⁴Institute of Rheumatology and Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, ⁵Institute of Rheumatology and Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic, ⁶Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University and University Hospital, Olomouc, Czechia, Olomouc, Czech Republic, ⁷Department of Orthopaedics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic, ⁸1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia, Prague, Czech Republic, ⁹1st Department of Orthopaedics, First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia, Prague, Czech Republic

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2024

Keywords: Biomarkers, Epigenetics, Micro-RNA, Osteoarthritis, proteomics

Session Information

Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024

Title: Abstracts: Osteoarthritis & Joint Biology – Basic Science

Session Type: Abstract Session

Session Time: 1:00PM-2:30PM

Background/Purpose: Cartilage acidic protein1 (CRTAC1) is a potential biomarker linked to osteoarthritis (OA) and cartilage degeneration. This study aimed to compare CRTAC1 levels in the synovial fluid (SF) and plasma of OA patients and healthy controls (HCs), including plasma levels in other rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), assess CRTAC1 across different OA subtypes, and identify deregulated miRNAs targeting CRTAC1 in OA patients.

Methods: The study involved 562 participants (OA = 184, RA = 98, HC = 144, SSc = 71, IIM = 43, AxSpA = 20). Plasma and SF samples were analyzed for CRTAC1 levels using mass-spectrometry (PeptiQuant) and IQ-ELISA (Ray-Biotech). miRNA profiles were obtained using sequencing (Next-Flex) and digital PCR (Qiagen). Knee radiographs were evaluated using the Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale.

Results: CRTAC1 levels were significantly higher in OA patients than in HCs, both in plasma and SF (p< 0.001), with higher concentration in plasma, and compared to other RMDs (Fig1). Local CRTAC1 concentrations positively correlated with OA severity (p< 0.001), whereas no such correlation was observed in plasma. CRTAC1 levels did not differ among hands, knee and hip OA. Additionally, miR-16-5p (p< 0.001), miR-107 (p=0.1), and miR-186-5p (p< 0.001) were downregulated in the SF of OA patients compared to HCs, and were negatively associated with local CRTAC1 levels and OA severity (Tab1).

Conclusion: The higher CRTAC1 concentration in OA compared to HCs/RMDs suggests CRTAC1 is a promising OA biomarker, while local CRTAC1 levels indicate joint severity. This study emphasizes the miRNAs’ regulatory influence on CRTAC1 expression and their potential impact on OA progression.

Acknowledgement: This work was supported by GAUK-266523, MHCR 023728, and SVV 260638.

Fig 1: A. Comparison of CRTAC1 levels in SF between OA and HCs group (p<0.0001), adjusted for age. B. Linear model adjusted for age showing positive association of SF-CRTAC1 and Kellgren-Lawrence grade. C. comparison of CRTAC1 levels in plasma among OA patients, patients with other musculoskeletal or immune-mediated diseases, and HCs (all p<0.001). D. Comparison of CRTAC1 concentration in SF and plasma (p<0.0001).
Abbreviations: AxSpA, Axial Spondyloarthritis; HC, healthy controls; IIM, Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies; OA, Osteoarthritis; RA, Rheumatoid Arthritis; SF, Synovial Fluid; SSc, Systemic Sclerosis

Tab 1: Significant negative association of selected miRNA in SF computed via linear modelling adjusted for age.

Disclosures: A. Prokopcová: None; J. Baloun: None; A. Navrátilová: None; K. Mocová: None; L. Ondrejčáková: None; J. Juhaszova: None; T. Kropáčková: None; H. Storkanova: None; M. Tomcik: None; J. Gatterova: None; O. Sleglova: None; O. Ruzickova: None; E. Kriegova: None; J. Gallo: None; R. Ballay: None; P. Fulin: None; J. Vencovský: AbbVie/Abbott, 6, Argenx, 2, Biogen, 6, Eli Lilly, 2, Fresenius, 6, Galapagos, 2, Horizon, 2, Merck/MSD, 6, Octapharma, 6, Pfizer, 6, Sobi, 2, Takeda, 6, UCB, 1, 2, 6; L. Šenolt: AbbVie/Abbott, 1, 6, Eli Lilly, 1, 6, GlaxoSmithKlein(GSK), 1, 6, Janssen, 1, 6, Novartis, 1, 6, Pfizer, 1, 6, UCB, 1, 6.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Prokopcová A, Baloun J, Navrátilová A, Mocová K, Ondrejčáková L, Juhaszova J, Kropáčková T, Storkanova H, Tomcik M, Gatterova J, Sleglova O, Ruzickova O, Kriegova E, Gallo J, Ballay R, Fulin P, Vencovský J, Šenolt L. CRTAC1 in Osteoarthritis: Implications for Disease Severity and miRNA Regulation [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024; 76 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/crtac1-in-osteoarthritis-implications-for-disease-severity-and-mirna-regulation/. Accessed .

« Back to ACR Convergence 2024

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/crtac1-in-osteoarthritis-implications-for-disease-severity-and-mirna-regulation/