{
  "abstract": "Objective: To explore the role and underlying mechanism of mitochondrial transcription elongation factor TEFM in osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage degeneration.\n\nMethods: Bioinformatics analysis based on the GSE114007 human knee cartilage dataset and two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis were performed to evaluate the association between TEFM and knee OA. Human cartilage specimens were collected to verify TEFM expression patterns. Lentivirus-mediated TEFM knockdown was performed in ATDC5 chondrocytes, and an in vitro inflammatory injury model was established by interleukin-1β (IL-1β) stimulation. The effects of TEFM on chondrocyte function were determined by RT-qPCR, Western blotting, toluidine blue staining, and immunofluorescence staining. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, specific pathway inhibition, and H ₂ O ₂ rescue assays were employed to elucidate TEFM-mediated signaling cascades. For in vivo validation, a destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced OA mouse model was established, and adeno-associated virus serotype 9 carrying sh-TEFM (AAV9-sh-TEFM) was administered via intra-articular injection. Pathological changes in cartilage and subchondral bone were assessed by micro-CT and histological staining.\n\nResults: TEFM expression was significantly upregulated in OA cartilage, and MR analysis supported a potential causal association with knee OA risk. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TEFM knockdown ameliorated chondrocyte dysfunction, attenuated mitochondrial oxidative stress, and suppressed AKT/NF-κB pathway activation. Mechanistically, NAC treatment and H ₂ O ₂ rescue assays verified that ROS serve as a critical upstream mediator linking TEFM to AKT/NF-κB signaling, and specific inhibitor assays further confirmed the functional necessity of the AKT/NF-κB cascade in TEFM-mediated chondrocyte injury. In vivo studies revealed that intra-articular TEFM silencing alleviated cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone pathological damage in OA mice, accompanied by inhibition of the AKT/NF-κB pathway.\n\nConclusion: TEFM facilitates OA cartilage degeneration via the ROS-AKT/NF-κB axis, which provides a novel therapeutic target for OA.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University",
    "Ganzhou Hospital-Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University (Ganzhou People’s Hospital)"
  ],
  "article_type": "research support, non u.s. gov't",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Kanghua Yang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Meifeng Lu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Runting Xiao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shuai Xu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yulong Ouyang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Guicai Sun"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d7vyy5d4ve0qr.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961836",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685904",
  "id": "d7vyy5d4ve0qr",
  "issns": [
    "1664-3224"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961836/full",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2745|Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220840530",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685904?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13685904",
  "pmid": "42910262",
  "published": "2026-10-07",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d7vyy5d4ve0qr.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:15Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961836",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1961836/full"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:10Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42910262",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42910262"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "issn:1664-3224",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "TEFM drives cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis via the ROS-AKT/NF-κB signaling axis",
  "title_text": "TEFM drives cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis via the ROS-AKT/NF-κB signaling axis",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d7vyy5d4ve0qr",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Immunology",
  "versions": []
}