Glucosamine Activates Autophagy In Vitro and In Vivo

Objectives Aging-associated changes in articular cartilage represent a main Osteoarthritis (OA) risk factor. Autophagy is an essential cellular homeostasis mechanism. Aging-associated or experimental defects in autophagy contribute to organismal and tissue specific aging while enhancement of autophagy may protect against certain aging related pathologies such as OA. The objective of this study was to determine whether glucosamine (GlcN) could activate autophagy.