Researcher(s)
- Masoud Salim, Biological Sciences, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Anja Nohe, Biological Sciences, University of Delaware
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive joint disease marked by cartilage degradation, subchondral bone remodeling, and inflammation, affecting over 500 million people worldwide. Current treatments manage symptoms but do not halt or reverse disease progression. Emerging research highlights early subchondral bone changes, such as altered bone marrow volume and trabecular structure, as critical contributors to OA development. This study evaluates the therapeutic potential of CK2.1, a peptide that promotes chondrogenesis via the BMP signaling pathway, delivered using hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel particles (HGPs) in a murine destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) model of OA.
Male C57/BL6 mice underwent DMM surgery and were assigned to three groups: CK2.1-HGP, HGP alone, and SHAM controls. Intra-articular injections were administered biweekly for six weeks. Femoral joints were analyzed histologically for bone marrow to trabecular volume (BM/TV) ratios and subchondral bone plate thickness (SBPTh). CK2.1-HGP treatment resulted in significantly improved BM/TV ratios compared to the HGP-only group (p = 0.0377), with values similar to SHAM controls, suggesting a reversal of OA-associated bone degradation. Although differences in SBPTh were not statistically significant (p > 0.05), CK2.1-HGP maintained values close to the SHAM group, indicating preserved bone structure.
These results demonstrate that CK2.1-HGP has potential as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD), capable of restoring subchondral bone integrity in early-stage OA. The targeted and sustained delivery of CK2.1 via HGPs supports its further investigation in preclinical studies focused on long-term outcomes and functional improvements.