New research has shown how cartilage inflammation, as occurs in conditions such as osteoarthritis, can be prevented by activation of the YAP/TAZ cellular pathway. The work was led by Huan Meng, a PhD student in Prof Martin Knight's group and was published in the journal 'Osteoarthritis and Cartilage': 'YAP activation inhibits inflammatory signalling and cartilage breakdown associated with reduced…

Osteoarthritis is associated with the increased presence of inflammatory cytokines which drive a cascade of cellular events leading to release of enzymes which breakdown the cartilage tissue causing it to become soft and wear away. Understanding this process may help to develop new treatments for this painful and debilitating condition that effects 8 million people in the UK alone.

The study showed that pharmaceutical stimulation of YAP in cartilage cells could prevent the damaging effects of inflammatory cytokines. By treating cartilage tissue with the lysophosphatidic acid which stimulates YAP, the team were able to prevent inflammatory cytokines from causing breakdown and softening of the cartilage. The same cartilage protective effects could also be induced by activating YAP through changing the mechanical stiffness of the cellular environment.

Furthermore this behaviour was found to involve changes in the cellular structures known as the primary cilia which Knight's group have shown to be involved in cartilage inflammation and the response to mechanical forces which occur during physical activity.

The lead author, Huan Meng, has also just published a chapter in the new book 'Cartilage Tissue Engineering' edited by Martin Stoddart: 'Techniques for Visualization and Quantification of Primary Cilia in Chondrocytes'.

Updated by: Martin Knight