Osteoarthritis: New genetic risk factors and novel drug targets

Date:
August 26, 2021
Source:
Helmholtz Zentrum Mu"nchen - German Research Center for
Environmental Health
Summary:
Researchers have found new genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis
and identified novel drug targets. Their finding is a milestone
towards the development of the first ever curative treatment for
osteoarthritis.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers found new genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis and
identified novel drug targets. Their finding is a milestone towards the development of the first ever curative treatment for osteoarthritis. The
study involved an international consortium led by Helmholtz Zentrum
Mu"nchen.


========================================================================== Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints and affects over 300 million individuals worldwide. It is characterized by a gradually increasing degeneration of the cartilage on the joint surface. This results
in chronic pain and stiffness in the joints and is a leading cause
of disability. Until today, no curative treatments are available. An
improved understanding of what causes the disease and the development of
novel treatments are therefore urgently needed and eagerly anticipated
by patients.

The power of large studies In the largest study of osteoarthritis to date (across over 825,000 individuals from 9 populations), an international
team of researchers led by Helmholtz Zentrum Mu"nchen discovered new
genetic risk factors for the disease and identified high-value drug
targets. This study provides a stepping stone for translating genetic discoveries into osteoarthritis drug development, ultimately helping
to catalyze an improvement in the lives of patients suffering from osteoarthritis. "This is a major step forward in understanding this debilitating disease and could not have been achieved without this international team effort," said Eleftheria Zeggini, Director of the
Institute of Translational Genomics at Helmholtz Zentrum Mu"nchen and
professor at the Technical University of Munich.

Unravelling the secrets of osteoarthritis The researchers also found
previously unknown differences in disease risk for weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing joints, the first ever female-specific risk factors
for developing disease, and the first risk factors for early-onset
disease. For the first time, they found genetic links between
osteoarthritis and its main symptom, pain.



========================================================================== "Because we have investigated osteoarthritis in multiple joints, we
have also identified specific genetic changes that underpin the risk
for all forms of osteoarthritis. Some of these genes may prove to be
validated as therapeutic targets for osteoarthritis, regardless of the
joint affected," says Cindy Boer from Erasmus MC University Medical
Center in the Netherlands, co-first author of the article.

Identifying new drug targets By combining multiple lines of evidence,
the researchers pinpointed likely causal genes for osteoarthritis that constitute potential drug targets for the disease. Many of the implicated
genes code for molecules that are the targets of approved (licensed)
drugs and drugs in clinical development. These findings substantially strengthen the evidence for these potential therapeutics and provide
novel drug repositioning opportunities.

Future work This work provides a robust springboard for follow-up
functional and clinical studies. These are necessary to elucidate how
to target the implicated genes and proteins, and, ultimately, how these interventions will affect disease outcome in the patient.

About the consortium This study is the first output of the "Genetics
of Osteoarthritis" consortium, a global collaboration with a focus
on progressing our understanding of the genetic underpinning of
osteoarthritis and related traits. The consortium aims to bring
together all globally available genetic studies of osteoarthritis
in order to make new discoveries possible. It is led by Helmholtz
Zentrum Mu"nchen. Learn more: https://www.genetics-osteoarthritis.com/ ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Helmholtz_Zentrum_Mu"nchen_-_German_Research_Center_for
Environmental_Health. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Boer et al. Deciphering osteoarthritis genetics across 826,690
individuals from 9 populations. Cell, 2021; DOI: 10.1016/
j.cell.2021.07.038 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210826111642.htm

--- up 15 weeks, 6 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)