New study identifies protein with links to biological processes underpinning osteoarthritis

A new study, published in the medical journal Bone, has shown that a protein known as CCN4 has a part to play in cartilage repair, which could potentially open the door for new approaches to treatment for people with osteoarthritis.

Researchers at the Okoyama University in Japan have examined human bone marrow cells, called stromal osteoprogenitor cells, and found that CCN4 helps to positively regulate the generation of important cartilage cells that tend to be depleted in people with osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is caused by the loss of articular cartilage and subchondral tissue, which causes pain, stiffness and the loss of mobility in joints. Adult cartilage does not readily regenerate, which means that injuries or trauma and overloading through obesity and also ageing can all lead to degeneration and depletion of cartilage and subchondral bone, which leads to the onset of osteoarthritis.

The protein CCN4 has been found to positively regulate the generation of cartilage matrix, which are depleted in osteoarthritis.

When the researchers looked at cells where CCN4 was over-expressed, they observed that the processes leading to the production of cartilage were enhanced, and also found that the opposite was true when CCN4 was knocked out.

When the researchers extended the study to include mice with knee injuries, it was found that animals whose CCN4 levels had been reduced, experienced a significantly reduced capacity to repair cartilage than those left with the CCN4 untampered.

This study into the cellular mechanisms underpinning cartilage repair may help to contribute to future developments in new treatments.

Dr Katherine Free at Arthritis Research UK, says, “This is interesting research that could improve our understanding of the cartilage repair process and how it goes wrong in the joints of people with osteoarthritis.

“Shedding new light on what is going on in the joints both in health and disease paves the way for the development for new and improved treatments to help the eight million people living with this condition.”

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