Reduction in the chondrocyte response to insulin‐like growth factor 1 in aging and osteoarthritis: Studies in a non‐human primate model of naturally occurring disease

Abstract

These results demonstrate a significant age-related decline in the chondrocyte response to IGF-1. The finding that increasing OA score was associated with a reduced response to intact IGF-1 but not des(1-3) IGF-1 suggests a role of increased production of inhibitory IGFBP in OA. Since the cells from older animals had a reduced response to both forms of IGF-1, the mechanism of the reduced response with age cannot be attributed to changes in IGFBP. Age-related changes in IGF receptors or, more likely, age-related alterations in intracellular signal transduction may also be involved.