Gene therapy approaches for equine osteoarthritis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Regenerative Medicine
• Gene Therapy

Background:

• Articular cartilage has limited self-repair capacity, leading to osteoarthritis (OA) and joint degeneration.
• OA affects both humans and horses, causing lameness and functional disability.
• A whole-organ approach is increasingly recognized as crucial for OA pathogenesis and therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in gene therapy for osteoarthritis (OA).
• To highlight the horse as a relevant translational model for human OA.
• To discuss the potential of gene therapy in both equine and human patients.

Main Methods:

• Review of current gene therapy strategies for OA.
• Discussion of viral and non-viral vector applications in joint gene delivery.
• Analysis of equine models for OA research.

Main Results:

• Viral vector-based gene therapy has shown successful gene transfer and persistent transgene expression in equine joints.
• Horses serve as an accurate model for human OA due to anatomical, biomechanical, and pathological similarities.
• Equine models allow for the use of human-relevant diagnostic and therapeutic methods.

Conclusions:

• Gene therapy offers a promising therapeutic avenue for osteoarthritis.
• The horse is a clinically relevant and effective translational model for advancing OA research and treatment.
• Further research in equine models can benefit both human and equine OA patients.