Osteoarthritis: from pathogenic mechanisms and recent clinical developments to novel prospective therapeutic options

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Cell Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease lacking curative treatments.
• Significant research efforts are underway to identify novel therapeutic targets for OA.
• Recent advancements have illuminated key pathogenic factors involved in OA progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review major discoveries in OA pathogenesis and treatment over the last five years.
• To highlight emerging therapeutic strategies and drug candidates in clinical development for OA.
• To explore future research directions for novel OA therapeutic concepts.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent scientific publications (past 5 years) on osteoarthritis.
• Identification and synthesis of key pathogenic factors (e.g., HIFs, TGF-β, zinc-ZIP8).
• Analysis of current clinical development pipelines for OA drugs and cell-based therapies.

Main Results:

• Identification of novel pathogenic factors including hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), complement, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and zinc-ZIP8.
• Emerging clinical candidates include anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) therapies, mesenchymal stromal cells, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-18.
• Autophagy regulation and induced pluripotent stem cells represent promising future therapeutic avenues.

Conclusions:

• Significant progress has been made in understanding OA pathogenesis, revealing new molecular targets.
• Several innovative treatments are in clinical development, offering hope for improved OA management.
• Future research into cellular processes like autophagy and stem cell therapies holds potential for long-term OA treatment breakthroughs.