Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the main reason of pain and disability of joint for old people in China, and its incidence is increasing year by year. Besides proliferation of osteophytes and degeneration of cartilage, inflammation, as one of the dominant pathological changes in OA, is causing wider attention. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (PIC) are important mediators of inflammation. The increased level of PIC in OA can lead to systemic and local inflammation, result in further destruction of many kinds of tissues in the joint (such as cartilage), and accelerate the development of OA. Besides, the level of inflammation is closely related to the clinical symptoms of OA. Therefore, it is important to understand the role of PIC in the pathogenesis of OA. This article reviewed the association, as well as the molecular mechanism, between PIC and OA, providing new concepts for diagnose and treatment of OA.

Key words: Osteoarthritis, pro-inflammatory cytokines, molecular mechanisms, review