Development of new ATP-pathway related drug with drug delivery system to the osteoarthritis of the knee

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K10474
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Shimane University
• Principal Investigator: Kumahashi Nobuyuki 島根大学, 学術研究院医学・看護学系, 講師 (00457178)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 内尾 祐司 島根大学, 学術研究院医学・看護学系, 教授 (20223547) ; 桑田 卓 島根大学, 学術研究院医学・看護学系, 助教 (80509000)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: アデノシン三リン酸 / 軟骨 / 滑膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Twenty-six patients with knee pain underwent arthroscopy in our hospital were included. They were divided into four groups; no injury group, meniscal injury group, cartilage injury group, cartilage injury group combined with meniscus injury. The concentration of ATP in the synovial fluids were measured in all groups. The concentration of ATP in three groups except control group were significantly higher than that of control group. The ATP concentration of combined group was significantly higher than that of cartilage injury or meniscus injury group.

Free Research Field

軟骨領域

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

変形性膝関節症における疼痛の原因は様々であり、明らかな原因は同定されていなかった。本研究で、膝痛のある患者の膝関節液中のアデノシン三燐酸(ATP)濃度の上昇源の同定を、手術の際に関節鏡視下に各構造物（靭帯、軟骨、半月板）の損傷を確認することで検証した。その結果、主に軟骨組織と半月板組織の損傷している患者で、損傷のない患者と比較し有意に上昇していた。以上から疼痛の原因である膝関節液中のATPは軟骨組織、半月板組織から放出されている可能性がある。