AKT1 and osteoarthritis: Since AIS patients have increased chondrocyte activity and active endochondral osteogenesis [29], and ghrelin was shown to inhibit the apoptosis of chondrocytes through protein kinase B (Akt) and nuclear factor-kappa beta (NF-κB) pathways in osteoarthritis [30], ghrelin has been suggested as part of the etiology of AIS.