1. Academic Validation
  2. Overview of MMP-13 as a Promising Target for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Overview of MMP-13 as a Promising Target for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 9;22(4):1742. doi: 10.3390/ijms22041742.
Qichan Hu 1 Melanie Ecker 1
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA.
Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease characterized by the destruction of articular cartilage and chronic inflammation of surrounding tissues. Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) is the primary MMP involved in cartilage degradation through its particular ability to cleave type II collagen. Hence, it is an attractive target for the treatment of OA. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of OA initiation and progression remain elusive, and, currently, there are no interventions available to restore degraded cartilage. This review fully illustrates the involvement of MMP-13 in the initiation and progression of OA through the regulation of MMP-13 activity at the molecular and epigenetic levels, as well as the strategies that have been employed against MMP-13. The aim of this review is to identify MMP-13 as an attractive target for inhibitor development in the treatment of OA.

Keywords

MMP-13; cartilage; inhibitor; matrix metalloproteinases; osteoarthritis; regulation; type II collagen.

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