Molecule discovery offers future osteoarthritis hope

A molecule has been found that protects cells in the joints from being destroyed – a discovery that could led to new medicines that prevent osteoarthritis. Urocortin occurs naturally in the body, says the UK team that published their findings in Cell Death and Disease.

“In osteoarthritis many different programmed cell-death chemicals are produced which cause chondrocytes to die,” explains Prof Paul Townsend who was involved in the study. “Our research shows that the naturally occurring molecule, Urocortin, produced by the body is essential for these chondrocyte cells to survive.”

The scientists will now look at how Urocortin helps cells to survive in order to develop new medicines to prevent joint degradation.

“Discovering a role for this naturally occurring molecule in joint physiology opens up exciting new avenues of research towards the cause, prevention and, eventually, treatment of osteoarthritis,” says Dr Ian Locke who co-authored the research.