Transcriptomic profiling of osteoarthritis synovial macrophages reveals a tolerized phenotype compounded by a weak corticosteroid response.

Terminal osteoarthritis joints therefore harbor macrophages with an inflammatory state that closely resembles the tolerized macrophage state and this is compounded by a weak corticosteroid response capacity that may explain the lack of positive long-term effects of corticosteroid treatment for osteoarthritis patients.