Exercise-Dependent effects of substance P deficiency on joint degeneration and inflammation in a surgical mouse model of osteoarthritis

SP plays a dual role in OA pathogenesis: its absence may protect cartilage from mechanical stress-induced stiffening but also promotes ectopic meniscal ossification and subchondral bone alterations. Additionally, SP appears to modulate systemic inflammatory responses independently of joint degeneration. These findings position SP as a key regulator of neuroimmune and mechanobiological processes in OA and highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for load-induced joint pathology.