We also sought to determine whether or not COX and/or sEH inhibition could protect the articular cartilage matrix during synovitis because (i) type II collagen degradation by matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) correlates with symptomatic radiographic and pre-radiographic OA (61), (ii) cytokines that increased during synovitis in our study (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α) and toll-like receptor ligands (e.g., LPS) are known to induce MMP expression (62), and (iii) sEH activity has been linked to OA prevalence and progression (18). Here, EPHX2 is linked to synovitis.