Spatial Proteomics Identifies Distinct Synovial Microenvironments in Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors' conclusion
Hip and knee OA synovium exhibit distinct spatially organized molecular phenotypes, highlighting the importance of joint-specific context in OA pathobiology.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing arthroplasty for primary hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA)Synovial tissues per analysis · Histology, hip 10 · Histology, knee 10 · Bulk proteomics, hip 10 · Bulk proteomics, knee 8 · GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling, hip 5 · GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling, knee 5
- Comparison
- Hip OA synovium vs knee OA synovium
- Outcome
- Vessel density
Methodological detailsspatial proteomic profiling across intimal and subintimal regions segmented into CD45+ immune and CD45- non-immune compartments
- Spatial proteomic profiling across intimal and subintimal regions segmented into CD45+ immune and CD45- non-immune compartments
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- HIP OA vs KNEE OA: P < 0.001
Further findings
Histological synovitis severity
- Did not differ significantly
Bulk proteomics pathway enrichment
- Angiogenesis enrichment in hip OA (FDR q)
- 0.001
- Fatty acid metabolism enrichment in knee OA (FDR q)
- <0.001
Spatial proteomic profiling
- Vascular-stromal remodeling signature in hip OA subintimal CD45- compartment, with higher VEGFR2, vWF, α-SMA, PDGFB, and YAP1
- Higher CD3E/CD3G in hip OA subintimal CD45+ compartment; higher calreticulin across multiple compartments
- GLP-1/GLP-1R-associated metabolic signature in knee OA intimal CD45+ compartment
- Higher HK2 and enrichment of LXR/RXR signaling in knee OA subintimal CD45- compartment
Original publication
Spatial Proteomics Identifies Distinct Synovial Microenvironments in Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. Published 4 November 2026. doi:10.
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