近日,中國科學院深圳先進技術研究院在骨性關節炎機理與防治方面取得重要研究進展。醫藥所人體組織與器官退行性研究中心引進深圳市骨與關節退行性疾病防治新技術創新團隊與美國約翰霍普金斯醫學院、香港大學合作研究,發現骨性關節炎的病理發生機制與軟骨下骨及間充質幹細胞的遷移有重要相關性。該研究成果5月19日在線發表於《自然·醫學》雜誌。
骨性關節炎是最常見的一類退行性關節疾病,發病機理尚不清楚,因此目前市場上沒有有效的治療藥物。此項研究發現ACLT小鼠模型導致關節受力不均,影響軟骨下骨的活性因子TGF-β1的釋放,高濃度的TGF-β1誘導了間充質幹細胞(MSC)的遷移並形成類骨質島(osteoid islet)進而加劇了骨性關節炎的形成。然而,在軟骨下骨中抑制 TGF-β1活性則顯著降低骨性關節炎的發生。這一科學研究加深了對於骨關節炎的認知,並提出了治療骨性關節炎的新方法。(生物谷Bioon.com)
生物谷推薦英文摘要:
Nature Medicine doi:10.1038/nm.3143
Inhibition of TGF-β signaling in mesenchymal stem cells of subchondral bone attenuates osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a highly prevalent and debilitating joint disorder. There is no effective medical therapy for the condition because of limited understanding of its pathogenesis. We show that transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is activated in subchondral bone in response to altered mechanical loading in an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) mouse model of osteoarthritis. TGF-β1 concentrations are also high in subchondral bone from humans with osteoarthritis. High concentrations of TGF-β1 induced formation of nestin-positive mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) clusters, leading to formation of marrow osteoid islets accompanied by high levels of angiogenesis. We found that transgenic expression of active TGF-β1 in osteoblastic cells induced osteoarthritis, whereas inhibition of TGF-β activity in subchondral bone attenuated the degeneration of articular cartilage. In particular, knockout of the TGF-β type II receptor (TβRII) in nestin-positive MSCs led to less development of osteoarthritis relative to wild-type mice after ACLT. Thus, high concentrations of active TGF-β1 in subchondral bone seem to initiate the pathological changes of osteoarthritis, and inhibition of this process could be a potential therapeutic approach to treating this disease.