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REVIEW article

Front. Genet.

Sec. RNA

This article is part of the Research TopicFunctions of RNA and RNA-Binding Proteins in DiseaseView all 3 articles

Molecular Mediators of Motion: RNA-RBP Networks in Exercise-Induced Osteoarthritis Protection

Provisionally accepted
  • Harbin Sport University, Harbin, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a relatively common chronic degenerative disease of joints which was originally considered as an imbalance between mechanical loads and tissue repair. Emerging evidence indicates that exercise confers protection not merely through mechanical loading, but by acting as a systemic regulator of RNA metabolism. This modulation mainly happens by regulating RNA–RNA-binding proteininteraction networks which have the ability to regulate joint homeostasis and delay OA process. This is a reviewed record of current study results - physical activity altered network of RNA - RBPs in different joint's related tissue such as cartilage, synovium, skeletal muscle, systemic circulation, thus changed metabolic and inflammatory pathway necessary for the joint health. Also examine molecular mechanisms by which exercise induces RNA metabolism reprogramming and protection from OA. Moreover, it also studies the promising prospects of RNA-RBP networks in early detection of OA and targeting innovative treatment strategies. By combining what we know about RNA-RBP interaction with exercise physiology, this big picture is hoping to clear the way to personalized exercise interventions, and novel RNA-targeted therapies for OA.

Keywords: biomarkers, Exercise, Exosomes, Molecular mechanisms, noncoding RNAs, Osteoarthritis, precision therapy, RNA metabolic reprogramming

Received: 15 Jan 2026; Accepted: 12 Feb 2026.

Copyright: © 2026 Yang, Wang, Zhou, Li, Shen, Mao, Liu and Mi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Junjie Liu
Zheng Mi

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