Relationship between infrapatellar fat pad derived neuropeptides and osoteoarthritic pain

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K09606
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: Aikawa Jun 北里大学, 医学部, 講師 (90317008)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 内田 健太郎 北里大学, 医学部, 講師 (50547578) ; 大久保 直 北里大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10450719)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 膝蓋下脂肪体 / 神経ペプチド / 疼痛

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) has been implicated as a possible source of osteoarthritis (OA) development and knee pain due to the production of inflammatory mediators. Neuropeptides are localized to joint tissues and has recently been implicated in the development of knee OA and OA pain. To date, however, the expression levels of neuropeptides in the IPFP of human knee OA patients have not been examined.We analyzed IPFP obtained from knee OA patients and found that the expression levels of apelin in the IPFP were positively correlated with pain score at rest. The expression levels of Peptide Lv in the IPFP were negatively correlated with pain score at rest. Peptide Lv deficient mice exhibited inflammatory phenotype. Apelin and Peptide Lv in IPFP may be a therapeutic target for OA pain

Free Research Field

整形外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本邦では疼痛を有する変形性膝関節症患者が800万人存在することが明らかになっている。本研究で同定した疼痛関連ペプチドは疼痛治療標的となる可能性を秘めており、健康寿命の延伸に貢献し得る。