Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Western University - Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
Western Researchers Find Osteoarthritis Gene
Researchers at Western University say they’ve identified a potential therapeutic target that could help people who suffer from Osteoarthritis
The study, published online in the journal Arthritis & Rhuematogy, found a specific gene that researchers say plays a key role in the degradation of cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). Scientists found that when they removed the gene from the cartilage the disease’s progression slowed considerably.
The gene is known as PPARdelta.
Study co-author, Dr. Frank Beier, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, says this promising new research may be the first step to identifying new treatments for osteoarthritis.
Arthritis Alliance of Canada says more than 4.5 million adult Canadians currently live with OA, and it is estimated that it drives $10 billion in direct health care costs. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis, which is triggered by a specific injury, makes up 10 to 15 per cent of all cases of the disease and affects a younger, more active portion of the population.
Media Contact:
Western University
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
519-661-3459
research@schulich.uwo.ca
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