DNA methylation as a mediator of epigenetic regulation in the pathogenesis and precision medicine of osteoarthritis: An updated review

The pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA) is multifactorial, with the primary risk factors being obesity, age, environmental variables, and genetic predisposition. The available evidence suggests that genetic diversity does not adequately account for all clinical characteristics and heterogeneity of OA. Genetics has emerged as a nascent and crucial area of research in OA. The epigenetic module presents a potential link between genetic and environmental risk factors and the susceptibility and pathogenesis of OA. As a critical epigenetic alteration, DNA methylation has been shown to have an important role in the etiology of OA and is a viable biomarker for predicting disease progression and medication response, as shown in this research. This review aims to update knowledge in the field of DNA methylation associated with OA to better identify the essential features of OA subtypes and pathological conditions, hence accelerating individualized treatment and precision medicine.