Transcriptional analysis of alveolar bone, jaw and ankle joint in inflammatory arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory arthritides are chronic joint diseases marked by inflammation and bone erosion, leading to progressive damage. While smaller joints are typically affected early, larger joints often become involved over time. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement occurs in over 50% of arthritis patients, causing severe jaw pain and functional impairment, yet it remains underrecognized and underresearched. Due to its unique mechanical and biological features, the TMJ may exhibit distinct pathomechanisms compared to other joints. To investigate these differences, we analyzed transcriptomic profiles of the TMJ, ankle joint, and alveolar bone in polyarthritic hTNF-α transgenic mice (hTNF-tg) and controls. RNA was extracted from the ankle joint, TMJ, and alveolar bone of hTNF-tg mice (strain Tg197 on a C57BL/6 background, n=4) and littermate controls (n=4). Female mice were analyzed at 11 weeks of age.