[China Tech] Shanghai Bone Doctors Find Cause of Osteoarthritis

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Elderly people often experience bone and joint pain. Among various degenerative diseases, osteoarthritis presents a significant public health challenge, placing a considerable burden on the aging population and society as a whole.

Age is the primary risk factor for osteoarthritis. This condition is characterized by the degeneration and degradation of cartilage, as well as the functional decline of chondrocytes. However, the mechanisms behind chondrocyte cell mutations during aging and the progression of osteoarthritis have remained unclear.

Medical experts from Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital collaborated with international colleagues in the United States to conduct a successful single-cell analysis focused on the development of osteoarthritis. Their research revealed that DNA damage plays a crucial role in both aging and osteoarthritis.

Using gene technology, the study explained how changes in regular cells in cartilage contribute to age-related diseases, highlighting possible targets for the development, progression, and treatment of osteoarthritis.

Dr Zhang Changqing, a top expert in the research, said, "The decrease in DNA repair ability leads to the breakdown of chondrocytes, and we have found genetic targets to improve or boost DNA repair. This insight offers guidance for the development of new treatments or medications."

The findings were published in the prestigious journal Nature Aging.