MMP3 and osteoarthritis: Among them, the MAPK pathway is the most important signal transduction system that mediates osteoarthritis cartilage injury, which binds to receptors on the cell membrane by mainly utilizing the specificity of affected joints, inflammatory factors (such as IL-1 and TNF-α), growth factors, and activating intracellular MAPKs signal transduction pathways, causing a series of reactions, such as the increased expression of matrix MMPs (MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13), chondrocyte apoptosis, cartilage destruction and so on22.