Amy Lynn McNulty | Scholars@Duke

Amy Lynn McNulty
Associate Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery

The long term goals of the McNulty lab are to develop strategies to prevent osteoarthritis and to promote tissue repair and regeneration following joint injury. In order to achieve these goals, we need to understand the mechanisms necessary for tissue repair and regeneration and how they are altered with aging and joint injury. Specifically, we are working to enhance the integrative repair of meniscus to restore meniscal function and decrease the risk of osteoarthritis development. We have identified IL-1 and TNF as inhibitors of integrative meniscal repair and are developing novel methods to suppress inflammation and the downstream mediators of these cytokines to promote tissue repair. Furthermore, we are working to understand the pathways that are activated by normal and injurious mechanical loading of joint tissues and how these mechanotransduction pathways are altered during aging. A greater understanding of alterations in mechanosensitive signaling mechanisms with aging and injury will likely reveal potential targets to prevent tissue degeneration and osteoarthritis.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics 2020
Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology, Pathology, Clinical Science Departments 2019
Affiliate of the Regeneration Next Initiative, Regeneration Next Initiative, Institutes and Centers 2016

Contact Information

355A Msrb1, Durham, NC 27710
DUMC Box 3093, Durham, NC 27710
alr@duke.edu (919) 684-6882

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Duke University 2005
Duke Appointment History
- Associate Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics 2019 - 2020
- Assistant Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics 2015 - 2019
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology, Pathology, Clinical Science Departments 2015 - 2019
- Medical Instructor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics 2012 - 2015
Recognition
In the News
- JUN 19, 2019 Duke Health News
  
  Artificial Scaffold Helps Cells Repair Torn Meniscus in Lab Tests
Research
Selected Grants
- Biomechanical and Biological Predictors of Cartilage Health Following Meniscus Injury awarded by National Institutes of Health 2021 - 2026
- In Vivo Knee Motion and ACL Biomechanics During Dynamic Activities awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2024
- Mechanical Biomarkers of Chronic Low Back Pain awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2024
- Mechanotransduction in Meniscus Health and Repair awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2023
- Weight loss, in vivo cartilage mechanics, and joint health awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2023
- Engineering Multi-scale Structure of the Knee Meniscus using 3D Nonwovens Fabrication awarded by North Carolina State University 2020 - 2021
- Organization and Function of Cellular Structure awarded by National Institutes of Health 1975 - 2020
- Improving Meniscus Repair Using a Meniscus-derived Matrix Allograft awarded by Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation 2018 - 2020
- Obesity, Biomechanics, and Inflammation in Osteoarthritis awarded by National Institutes of Health 2013 - 2016
- Strategies to Enhance Integrative Repair of the Meniscus awarded by National Institutes of Health 2008 - 2011
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Lyons, L. P., J. B. Weinberg, J. R. Wittstein, and A. L. McNulty. “Blood in the joint: effects of hemarthrosis on meniscus health and repair techniques.” Osteoarthritis Cartilage 29, no. 4 (April 2021): 471–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2020.11.008.
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  - Lee, Whasil, Robert J. Nims, Alireza Savadipour, Qiaojuan Zhang, Holly A. Leddy, Fang Liu, Amy L. McNulty, Yong Chen, Farshid Guilak, and Wolfgang B. Liedtke. “Inflammatory signaling sensitizes Piezo1 mechanotransduction in articular chondrocytes as a pathogenic feed-forward mechanism in osteoarthritis.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 118, no. 13 (March 30, 2021). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2001611118.
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  - Nims, Robert J., Lara Pferdehirt, Noelani B. Ho, Alireza Savadipour, Jeremiah Lorentz, Sima Sohi, Jordan Kassab, et al. “A synthetic mechanogenetic gene circuit for autonomous drug delivery in engineered tissues.” Sci Adv 7, no. 5 (January 2021). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd9858.
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  - Andress, Benjamin, Jason H. Kim, Hattie C. Cutcliffe, Annunziato Amendola, Adam P. Goode, Shyni Varghese, Louis E. DeFrate, and Amy L. McNulty. “Meniscus cell regional phenotypes: Dedifferentiation and reversal by biomaterial embedding.” J Orthop Res, December 15, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.24954.
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  - Collins, Amber T., Micaela Kulvaranon, Charles E. Spritzer, Amy L. McNulty, and Louis E. DeFrate. “The Influence of Obesity and Meniscal Coverage on In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Thickness and Strain.” Orthop J Sports Med 8, no. 12 (December 2020): 2325967120964468. https://doi.org/10.1177/2325967120964468.
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  - Hidalgo Perea, Sofia, Lucas P. Lyons, James F. Nishimuta, J Brice Weinberg, and Amy L. McNulty. “Evaluation of culture conditions for in vitro meniscus repair model systems using bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.” Connect Tissue Res 61, no. 3–4 (May 2020): 322–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2019.1680656.
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  - Lyons, Lucas P., Sofia Hidalgo Perea, J Brice Weinberg, Jocelyn R. Wittstein, and Amy L. McNulty. “Meniscus-Derived Matrix Bioscaffolds: Effects of Concentration and Cross-Linking on Meniscus Cellular Responses and Tissue Repair.” Int J Mol Sci 21, no. 1 (December 19, 2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21010044.
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  - Arrigoni, Paolo, Jacob C. Ruprecht, Dawn A. D. Chasse, Katherine A. Glass, Benjamin Andress, Farshid Guilak, J Brice Weinberg, and Amy L. McNulty. “Optimization of Meniscus Cell Transduction Using Lentivirus and Adeno-Associated Virus for Gene Editing and Tissue Engineering Applications.” Cartilage, October 14, 2019, 1947603519880321. https://doi.org/10.1177/1947603519880321.
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  - Ruprecht, Jacob C., Taylor D. Waanders, Christopher R. Rowland, James F. Nishimuta, Katherine A. Glass, Jennifer Stencel, Louis E. DeFrate, Farshid Guilak, J Brice Weinberg, and Amy L. McNulty. “Meniscus-Derived Matrix Scaffolds Promote the Integrative Repair of Meniscal Defects.” Sci Rep 9, no. 1 (June 18, 2019): 8719. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44855-3.
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  - DeFrate, L. E., S. Y. Kim-Wang, Z. A. Englander, and A. L. McNulty. “Osteoarthritis year in review 2018: mechanics.” Osteoarthritis Cartilage 27, no. 3 (March 2019): 392–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2018.12.011.
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  - Collins, Amber T., Courtney C. Hatcher, Sophia Y. Kim, Sophia N. Ziemian, Charles E. Spritzer, Farshid Guilak, Louis E. DeFrate, and Amy L. McNulty. “Selective Enzymatic Digestion of Proteoglycans and Collagens Alters Cartilage T1rho and T2 Relaxation Times.” Ann Biomed Eng 47, no. 1 (January 2019): 190–201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-018-02143-7.
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  - Furman, Bridgette D., Collin L. Kent, Janet L. Huebner, Virginia B. Kraus, Amy L. McNulty, Farshid Guilak, and Steven A. Olson. “CXCL10 is upregulated in synovium and cartilage following articular fracture.” J Orthop Res 36, no. 4 (April 2018): 1220–27. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.23735.
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  - Cao, Chike, Yinshi Ren, Adam S. Barnett, Anthony J. Mirando, Douglas Rouse, Se Hwan Mun, Kyung-Hyun Park-Min, et al. “Increased Ca2+ signaling through CaV1.2 promotes bone formation and prevents estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss.” Jci Insight 2, no. 22 (November 16, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.95512.
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  - Liu, Betty, Nimit K. Lad, Amber T. Collins, Pramodh K. Ganapathy, Gangadhar M. Utturkar, Amy L. McNulty, Charles E. Spritzer, et al. “In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking.” Am J Sports Med 45, no. 12 (October 2017): 2817–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546517712506.
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  - Liu, Betty, Adam P. Goode, Teralyn E. Carter, Gangadhar M. Utturkar, Janet L. Huebner, Dean C. Taylor, Claude T. Moorman, et al. “Matrix metalloproteinase activity and prostaglandin E2 are elevated in the synovial fluid of meniscus tear patients.” Connect Tissue Res 58, no. 3–4 (May 2017): 305–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2016.1256391.
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  - Rai, Muhammad Farooq, and Amy L. McNulty. “Meniscus beyond mechanics: Using biology to advance our understanding of meniscus injury and treatment.” Connect Tissue Res 58, no. 3–4 (May 2017): 221–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2017.1312921.
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  - Hatcher, Courtney C., Amber T. Collins, Sophia Y. Kim, Lindsey C. Michel, William C. Mostertz, Sophia N. Ziemian, Charles E. Spritzer, Farshid Guilak, Louis E. DeFrate, and Amy L. McNulty. “Relationship between T1rho magnetic resonance imaging, synovial fluid biomarkers, and the biochemical and biomechanical properties of cartilage.” J Biomech 55 (April 11, 2017): 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.02.001.
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  - Cucchiarini, M., A. L. McNulty, R. L. Mauck, L. A. Setton, F. Guilak, and H. Madry. “Advances in combining gene therapy with cell and tissue engineering-based approaches to enhance healing of the meniscus.” Osteoarthritis Cartilage 24, no. 8 (August 2016): 1330–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2016.03.018.
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  - O’Conor, Christopher J., Sendhilnathan Ramalingam, Nicole A. Zelenski, Halei C. Benefield, Isaura Rigo, Dianne Little, Chia-Lung Wu, et al. “Cartilage-Specific Knockout of the Mechanosensory Ion Channel TRPV4 Decreases Age-Related Osteoarthritis.” Sci Rep 6 (July 8, 2016): 29053. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29053.
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  - Lee, W., H. Leddy, A. McNulty, F. Guilak, and W. Liedtke. “Inflammatory Cytokine Il-1α Up-Regulates Piezo1 and Hyper-Sensitizes Chondrocytes to Compression.” Biophysical Journal 110, no. 3 (February 16, 2016): 349a-349a.
  - Carter, Teralyn E., Kevin A. Taylor, Charles E. Spritzer, Gangadhar M. Utturkar, Dean C. Taylor, Claude T. Moorman, William E. Garrett, Farshid Guilak, Amy L. McNulty, and Louis E. DeFrate. “In vivo cartilage strain increases following medial meniscal tear and correlates with synovial fluid matrix metalloproteinase activity.” J Biomech 48, no. 8 (June 1, 2015): 1461–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.02.030.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., and Farshid Guilak. “Mechanobiology of the meniscus.” J Biomech 48, no. 8 (June 1, 2015): 1469–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.02.008.
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  - McNulty, A. L., T. E. Carter, K. A. Taylor, C. E. Spritzer, G. M. Utturkar, D. C. Taylor, C. T. Moorman, W. E. Garrett, F. Guilak, and L. E. DeFrate. “In vivo strain increases following medial meniscal tear and correlates with synovial fluid matrix metalloproteinase activity.” Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 23 (April 2015): A95–A95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2015.02.804.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., Holly A. Leddy, Wolfgang Liedtke, and Farshid Guilak. “TRPV4 as a therapeutic target for joint diseases.” Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 388, no. 4 (April 2015): 437–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-014-1078-x.
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  - Lee, Whasil, Holly A. Leddy, Yong Chen, Suk Hee Lee, Nicole A. Zelenski, Amy L. McNulty, Jason Wu, et al. “Synergy between Piezo1 and Piezo2 channels confers high-strain mechanosensitivity to articular cartilage.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111, no. 47 (November 25, 2014): E5114–22. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1414298111.
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  - Sanchez-Adams, Johannah, Holly A. Leddy, Amy L. McNulty, Christopher J. O’Conor, and Farshid Guilak. “The mechanobiology of articular cartilage: bearing the burden of osteoarthritis.” Curr Rheumatol Rep 16, no. 10 (October 2014): 451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-014-0451-6.
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  - Leddy, Holly A., Amy L. McNulty, Suk Hee Lee, Nicole E. Rothfusz, Bernd Gloss, Margaret L. Kirby, Mary R. Hutson, Daniel H. Cohn, Farshid Guilak, and Wolfgang Liedtke. “Follistatin in chondrocytes: the link between TRPV4 channelopathies and skeletal malformations.” Faseb J 28, no. 6 (June 2014): 2525–37. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.13-245936.
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  - Leddy, Holly A., Amy L. McNulty, Farshid Guilak, and Wolfgang Liedtke. “Unraveling the mechanism by which TRPV4 mutations cause skeletal dysplasias.” Rare Dis 2, no. 1 (2014): e962971. https://doi.org/10.4161/2167549X.2014.962971.
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  - Chen, Yong, Susan H. Williams, Amy L. McNulty, Ji Hee Hong, Suk Hee Lee, Nicole E. Rothfusz, Puja K. Parekh, et al. “Temporomandibular joint pain: a critical role for Trpv4 in the trigeminal ganglion.” Pain 154, no. 8 (August 2013): 1295–1304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2013.04.004.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., Nicole E. Rothfusz, Holly A. Leddy, and Farshid Guilak. “Synovial fluid concentrations and relative potency of interleukin-1 alpha and beta in cartilage and meniscus degradation.” J Orthop Res 31, no. 7 (July 2013): 1039–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.22334.
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  - Backus, Jonathon D., Bridgette D. Furman, Troy Swimmer, Collin L. Kent, Amy L. McNulty, Louis E. Defrate, Farshid Guilak, and Steven A. Olson. “Cartilage viability and catabolism in the intact porcine knee following transarticular impact loading with and without articular fracture.” J Orthop Res 29, no. 4 (April 2011): 501–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.21270.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., Michael R. Miller, Shannon K. O’Connor, and Farshid Guilak. “The effects of adipokines on cartilage and meniscus catabolism.” Connect Tissue Res 52, no. 6 (2011): 523–33. https://doi.org/10.3109/03008207.2011.597902.
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  - Riera, Katherine M., Nicole E. Rothfusz, Rebecca E. Wilusz, J. B. Weinberg, Farshid Guilak, and Amy L. McNulty. “Interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 and integrative meniscal repair: influences on meniscal cell proliferation and migration.” Arthritis Res Ther 13, no. 6 (2011): R187. https://doi.org/10.1186/ar3515.
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  - McNulty, A. L., B. T. Estes, R. E. Wilusz, J. B. Weinberg, and F. Guilak. “Dynamic loading enhances integrative meniscal repair in the presence of interleukin-1.” Osteoarthritis Cartilage 18, no. 6 (June 2010): 830–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2010.02.009.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., J Brice Weinberg, and Farshid Guilak. “Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases enhances in vitro repair of the meniscus.” Clin Orthop Relat Res 467, no. 6 (June 2009): 1557–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-008-0596-6.
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  - Wilusz, Rebecca E., J Brice Weinberg, Farshid Guilak, and Amy L. McNulty. “Inhibition of integrative repair of the meniscus following acute exposure to interleukin-1 in vitro.” J Orthop Res 26, no. 4 (April 2008): 504–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.20538.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., and Farshid Guilak. “Integrative repair of the meniscus: lessons from in vitro studies.” Biorheology 45, no. 3–4 (2008): 487–500.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., Franklin T. Moutos, J Brice Weinberg, and Farshid Guilak. “Enhanced integrative repair of the porcine meniscus in vitro by inhibition of interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor alpha.” Arthritis Rheum 56, no. 9 (September 2007): 3033–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.22839.
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  - McNulty, A. L., F. T. Moutos, R. E. Wilusz, J. B. Weinberg, and F. Guilak. “The effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines on functional repair of the meniscus.” Mcb Molecular and Cellular Biomechanics 3, no. 4 (December 1, 2006): 197–98.
  - McNulty, Amy L., Thomas V. Stabler, Thomas P. Vail, Gary E. McDaniel, and Virginia B. Kraus. “Dehydroascorbate transport in human chondrocytes is regulated by hypoxia and is a physiologically relevant source of ascorbic acid in the joint.” Arthritis Rheum 52, no. 9 (September 2005): 2676–85. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.21254.
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  - McNulty, Amy L., Thomas P. Vail, and Virginia B. Kraus. “Chondrocyte transport and concentration of ascorbic acid is mediated by SVCT2.” Biochim Biophys Acta 1712, no. 2 (June 30, 2005): 212–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamem.2005.04.009.
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  - Clark, Amy G., Amy L. Rohrbaugh, Ivan Otterness, and Virginia B. Kraus. “The effects of ascorbic acid on cartilage metabolism in guinea pig articular cartilage explants.” Matrix Biol 21, no. 2 (March 2002): 175–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0945-053x(01)00193-7.
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  - Michael, N. L., L. G. Louie, A. L. Rohrbaugh, K. A. Schultz, D. E. Dayhoff, C. E. Wang, and H. W. Sheppard. “The role of CCR5 and CCR2 polymorphisms in HIV-1 transmission and disease progression.” Nat Med 3, no. 10 (October 1997): 1160–62. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1097-1160.
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- Conference Papers
  - Cao, Chike, Yinshi Ren, Anthony J. Mirando, Adam Barnett, Douglas Rouse, Se Hwan Mun, Kyung-Hyun Park-Min, et al. “Increased Ca2+signaling through altered CaV1.2 L-type Ca2+channel activity promotes bone formation and prevents estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss.” In Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 32:S31–S31. WILEY, 2017.
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Duke Appointment History

In the News

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Conference Papers

Recent Courses