Is cartilage matrix breakdown an appropriate therapeutic target in osteoarthritis--insights from studies of aggrecan and collagen proteolysis?

• Published in: Current drug targets Vol. 11; no. 5; p. 561
• Main Authors: Little, Christopher B, Fosang, Amanda J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Arab Emirates 01.05.2010
• Subjects: Aggrecans - metabolism; Animals; Arthritis, Experimental - drug therapy; Arthritis, Experimental - genetics; Arthritis, Experimental - metabolism; Cartilage - metabolism; Cartilage - pathology; Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein; Collagen Type II - metabolism; Drug Delivery Systems - methods; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - genetics; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - metabolism; Glycoproteins - genetics; Glycoproteins - metabolism; Humans; Matrilin Proteins; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Models, Biological; Osteoarthritis - drug therapy; Osteoarthritis - genetics; Osteoarthritis - metabolism; Protease Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Species Specificity

Progressive cartilage degradation is considered a hallmark of osteoarthritis (OA), and as such methods to inhibit this process have been extensively investigated as potential disease-modifying therapies. However, all tissues of the joint are affected by disease in OA, and it is likely that the pain...