Pertaining to cartilage metabolic homeostasis and neuro-cartilage interaction, it influences the balance between cartilage anabolism and catabolism by regulating the GSK-3β/β-catenin balance, and mediates central-peripheral crosstalk through neuro-related signals like cAMP and serotonin, thereby alleviating pain and depression-like manifestations (Cheng et al., 2023). The gene discussed is GSK3B; the disease is major depressive disorder.