CARTILAGE CELLS HAVE BODY CLOCK: EFFECT ON OA? (Orthopedics This Week)
Researchers from the University of Manchester have determined for the first time that cartilage cells have a body clock that switches on and off genes controlling tissue function. The rhythm of the cartilage clock perhaps goes some way to explain why osteoarthritis (OA) sufferers find the symptoms of the disease worse at certain times of the day. This work was led by Dr. Qing-Jun Meng, MRC (Medical Research Center) Career Development Award Fellow in the
Faculty of Life Sciences
at the University of Manchester in the UK.
When Dr. Qing-Jun Meng and his team studied cartilage tissue in older mice they found that the tissue’s body clock was 40% weaker than in younger mice. This suggested that clock deterioration could contribute to an increased risk of developing OA in later life. The researchers then looked at cartilage cells affected by damage similar to osteoarthritis and found that components of the body clock are altered during the early stages of the disease.
In the June 11, 2013 news release Dr. Meng says: “By imposing a rhythm to boost the internal rhythm in cartilage, our data suggests the aged cartilage cl...
