OA Clue Found in Alteration of Cell Behavior

A team of researchers from the University of Liverpool has found new information on how cells change their behavior at the onset of osteoarthritis (OA). The researchers, from the University’s Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, have learned that “changes in the rate at which molecules in joint cartilage (mRNA) are created and destroyed are fundamental to causing this change in behavior.”

By upsetting this balance—with more mRNA being destroyed—the cells cease to function as effectively.

Senior lecturer in orthopedic sciences, Dr. Simon Tew said in the September 4, 2014 news release, “Osteoarthritic cartilage cells have a significant number of genes whose mRNA is destroyed more rapidly than those in healthy cells. This affects some genes that we already know are involved in osteoarthritis as well as some that are less well studied.”

As indicated in the news release, the researchers compared cells from OA patients to those of healthy patients. The findings show how the cells in joints stop working properly, leading to arthritis and the researchers hope that by understanding this part of the process, new treatments can be developed which address the problem.

Dr. Tew concluded, “We’ve not discovered the cause of arthritis, but this does shed light on the process of how the disease manifests itself. To develop new drugs to treat one of the leading causes of disability requires the fullest possible understanding of the condition and this discovery is part of that overall picture.”