Beyond the Osteoclast? Alternative Pathways to Inflammatory Bone Erosion
Title: Beyond the Osteoclast? Alternative Pathways to Inflammatory Bone Erosion
Award: Disease Targeted Research Pilot Grant
Investigator: Antonios Aliprantis, MD, PhD
Institution: Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Antonios Aliprantis, MD, PhD, director of the Osteoarthritis Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, was awarded a Disease Targeted Research Pilot Grant to explore how bone tissue around inflamed joints is damaged.
What is a Disease Targeted Research Pilot Grant?
Disease Targeted Research Pilot Grants are designed to encourage investigators to begin tests of novel research ideas into rheumatoid arthritis and related autoinflammatory diseases. The grant provides seed funds for established investigators to gather preliminary data and determine the future direction of research.
What is the focus of this research?
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory joint disease often suffer damage to the surrounding bone. This damage ultimately leads to deformities and limited joint function. Prior studies have suggested joint inflammation somehow activates cells called osteoclasts, which then damage surrounding bone tissue. However, Dr. Aliprantis’ lab recently discovered bone destruction around inflamed joints in mice lacking osteoclasts. By exploring this finding, Dr. Aliprantis hopes to identify whether cells other than osteoclasts are capable of breaking down bone in the setting of inflammation.
Why is this work important?
In Dr. Aliprantis’ words, “We’re beginning to understand osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of the entire joint.” The connection between joint inflammation and bone destruction is only partially understood, and new insight is required to develop methods that could ultimately prevent this complication. By understanding the cells involved in bone damage, new treatments that target these cells could lead to better treatments for patients with inflammatory joint disease.
What are the potential implications?
Current treatments for OA include oral pain medications, topical pain relievers and injection therapies. For some patients, joint replacement is needed and, though often successful, drug treatments have been slow to develop because the disease itself is slow to progress. By understanding cellular pathways of the damage to bone tissue caused by inflammation, future treatment options previously overlooked could be explored.