title: Chondroprotective drugs in degenerative joint diseases.
abstract: Catabolic cytokine and anabolic growth factor pathways control destruction and repair in osteoarthritis (OA). A unidirectional TNF-alpha/IL-1-driven cytokine cascade disturbs the homeostasis of the extracellular matrix of articular cartilage in OA. Although chondrocytes in OA cartilage overexpress anabolic insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and its specific receptor (IGFRI) autocrine TNF-alpha released by apoptotic articular cartilage cells sets off an auto/paracrine IL-1-driven cascade that overrules the growth factor activities that sustain repair in degenerative joint disease. Chondroprotection with reappearance of a joint space that had disappeared has been documented unmistakably in peripheral joints of patients suffering from spondyloarthropathy when treated with TNF-alpha-blocking agents that repressed the unidirectional TNF-alpha/IL-1-driven cytokine cascade. A series of connective tissue structure-modifying agents (CTSMAs) that directly affect IL-1 synthesis and release in vitro and down-modulate downstream IL-1 features, e.g. collagenase, proteoglycanase and matrix metalloproteinase activities, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, the increased release of nitric oxide, and the secretion of prostaglandin E(2), IL-6 and IL-8, have been shown to possess disease-modifying OA drug (DMOAD) activities in experimental models of OA and in human subjects with finger joint and knee OA. Examples are corticosteroids, some sulphated polysaccharides, chemically modified tetracyclines, diacetylrhein/rhein, glucosamine and avocado/soybean unsaponifiables.
authors.affiliation: Polikliniek Reumatologie, 0K12, Universitair Hospitaal, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. gust.verbruggen@ugent.be
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verbruggen
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D006133:Growth Substances; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha