Age-related Alterations in Osteochondral Remodeling of Fracture Healing Illustrated by Mass Spectrometry Imaging
Year: 2026
Type: dataset
Abstract: Supplemental Data Tables for "Age-related Alterations in Osteochondral Remodeling of Fracture Healing Illustrated by Mass Spectrometry Imaging". Abstract: Age-related alterations in fracture healing are prevalent and contribute to morbidity and mortality in elderly populations. Clinical and preclinical studies demonstrate that aging is associated with slower and less complete fracture repair characterized by altered cartilage and bone formation, impaired matrix resorption, and an increased risk of delayed union or non-union. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MALDI-MSI) enables spatially resolved, in situ molecular analysis of proteins directly from murine fracture tissues. We applied collagenase type III proteolytic digestion to target extracellular matrix materials in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tibia fracture callus sections harvested 10 days post–tibial fracture from young (3-month-old) and aged (18-month-old) mice to perform spatially resolved proteomic profiling. MSI revealed pronounced age-dependent differences in extracellular matrix protein composition and remodeling within the fracture callus. We identified upregulation of canonical bone and matrix proteins, including Col1a1 and Col1a2 specifically in the young fracture callus demonstrating advancement into hardened callus formation. Conversely, Col2a1 and other soft callus proteins were upregulated in the aged callus tissues. Increased separation of tissue into multiple subregions through automated hierarchical clustering revealed many proteins that illustrate the gradient nature of callus remodeling during endochondral ossification. Spatial proteomic patterns demonstrated a marked difference in progression from cartilaginous to osseous callus in aged mice, consistent with impaired matrix remodeling during fracture repair. Together, these findings establish spatial MS Imaging based proteomics as a powerful approach to elucidate age-related alterations in fracture healing and to identify molecular regulators of impaired skeletal regeneration.
Authors: Schurman, Charles, Schilling, Birgit
Institution: Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204105075
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