Tag: Osteoarthritis

Researchers have found that sustained expression of excess hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α leads to unwanted formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis) that destroys cartilage and causes osteoarthritis. A necessary but destructive factor Being required for extracellular matrix (ECM) construction and energy in the absence of oxygen, HIF-1α is necessary for cartilage-building cells (chondrocytes), which normally live in...

Researchers have discovered that the osteoarthritis-inducing effects of excessive mechanical stress can be mitigated by increasing miR-330, a key regulator in cartilage and bone cells. Backbreaking labor is exactly that It has been long-held conventional wisdom that a lifetime of heavy physical labor leads to the early development of arthritis. This has been backed up...

By inhibiting the aging-related enzyme 15-PGDH, scientists have shifted cartilage cells towards a healthier phenotype, leading to a significant improvement in a mouse model of osteoarthritis [1]. The hard-to-repair part Articular cartilage (the smooth, load-bearing cartilage on the ends of bones) doesn’t repair well with age or after injury [2], which is why osteoarthritis is...

In the Cell journal iScience, researchers have published their discovery of a protein that inhibits osteoarthritis in mice by diminishing fatty acid production. Fats in the wrong place Previous work has found a strong link between obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee [1]. While the increased weight itself may be a factor, fatty acids themselves...

Recent research has addressed menopause-related molecular processes that impact the high prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in post-menopausal women. Restoration of female sex hormones in a post-menopausal mouse model improved joint health [1]. A centuries-old observation The authors start the article with a quote from the English physician John Haygarth from 1805: the nodosities [irregularities] of...

In the Journal of Nanobiotechnology, researchers have described a new method of delivering a long-lasting treatment into cartilage. A protein that promotes autophagy Previous work has linked expression of the FGF18 protein with healthy cartilage and joints [1]. Problems with the gene responsible for FGF18 lead to osteoarthritis [2], and it has been found to...