Osteoarthritis, a debilitating condition marked by the breakdown of cartilage in joints, affects over 32.5 million Americans.
Recent research has discovered a protein that may play a crucial role in preventing this condition.
Justin Parreno, currently an assistant professor at the University of Delaware and previously a doctoral student at the University of Toronto, discovered a protein named adseverin that maintains the health of articular cartilage.
This is the first time a specific protein linked to cell structure has been pinpointed as protective against osteoarthritis.
During research on another cartilage therapy, Parreno observed that healthy cartilage cells have abundant adseverin while unhealthy ones do not.
Adseverin regulates the structural scaffolding of cells, known as filamentous (F) actin. F-actin functions as a protective shield against stresses on cartilage cells during joint movement. If F-actin levels diminish, the cells become vulnerable and may die.
Dead cells are unable to regenerate cartilage, leading to its degradation. Additionally, surviving cells produce molecules causing further cartilage damage.
Current Treatments vs. Potential New Therapies
Osteoarthritis treatments are mostly focused on surgery or pain management. The new findings, although not yet tested on humans, indicate potential therapeutic avenues targeting the adseverin protein.
Parreno suggests that if we can maintain adseverin levels or sustain F-actin levels, it might prevent cell death and subsequent cartilage deterioration.
Ongoing Research and Broader Implications
Parreno’s lab at UD is delving deeper into F-actin’s role in osteoarthritis. They are also studying another F-actin-binding protein named tropomyosin.
Parreno believes the pivotal discovery is the reduction of F-actin in osteoarthritis, which might be a crucial target for osteoarthritis therapy. Multiple molecules regulate F-actin, necessitating comprehensive understanding before targeting them chemically to stave off joint degradation.
The insights might extend to other musculoskeletal disorders. Parreno is part of a team investigating tendon damage and the role of F-actin in tendinosis.
The team, which has secured a nearly $2.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, comprises primary investigator Dawn Elliott and co-investigator Karin Grävare Silbernagel.
A Personal Touch
For Parreno, the research has personal undertones. As a sports enthusiast who’s experienced injuries, he feels a connection to orthopedic research, jestingly noting his own likely future with osteoarthritis.
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The study was published in Science Advances.
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