Functional folate receptor beta-expressing macrophages in osteoarthritis synovium and their M1/M2 expression profiles

Abstract

The distribution and M1/M2 expression profiles of FR-β+ synovial macrophages were different between OA and RA synovial tissues. Thus, the findings underscore that the M1/M2 paradigm using surface markers FR-β and CD163 is an oversimplification of macrophage subsets. Functional FR-β present on OA synovial macrophages provides a potential tool for the diagnosis and treatment of OA.