Neutrophil elastase (Elane) may serve as a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory bowel disease-associated growth attenuation: focus on the epiphyseal growth plate in young male rats

These findings suggest that immune-related genes are actively expressed in the EGP in response to systemic inflammation. Importantly, ELANE was found to be endogenously expressed in chondrocytes and upregulated under inflammatory conditions, indicating a potential intrinsic chondrocyte-mediated mechanism contributing to inflammation-induced growth attenuation. Our study introduces a novel mechanism through which chronic inflammation may directly hinder skeletal growth. This intrinsic ELANE expression, together with the upregulation of MMP13, indicates a direct catabolic impact on the extracellular matrix.