Na(v)1.7 as a chondrocyte regulator and therapeutic target for osteoarthritis. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06888-7)
These scientists wanted to find a way to help people with a joint disease called osteoarthritis. Right now, there aren't any good methods to stop the joints from getting worse and to reduce the pain at the same time. So, the scientists decided to study something called voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) in the cells of the joints.
They found that these VGSCs, specifically one called Na(v)1.7, are related to osteoarthritis. They discovered that the cells in the joints of people with osteoarthritis have these Na(v)1.7 channels, and they are active and working. They also found that the density of these channels is about 0.1 to 0.15 channels per tiny area and there are about 350 to 525 channels in each cell.
To understand the role of Na(v)1.7, the scientists used mice. They removed the Na(v)1.7 channels from different parts of the mice's bodies in different experiments. They found that when they removed Na(v)1.7 from the nerves in the mice's spinal cords, it affected their pain. But when they removed Na(v)1.7 from the cells in the joints, it affected the progression of osteoarthritis.
Next, the scientists tested some drugs that can block Na(v)1.7 channels. They found that these drugs can slow down the damage happening in the joints and also reduce the pain caused by osteoarthritis. They also discovered that these drugs work by changing the way the cells in the joints communicate with each other.
By identifying Na(v)1.7 as an important channel in the cells of the joints, the scientists have found a new target for developing treatments for osteoarthritis. This means they can work on creating new medicines that can stop the disease from getting worse and also help with the pain, without needing strong painkillers.
Fu W., Vasylyev D., Bi Y., Zhang M., Sun G., Khleborodova A., Huang G., Zhao L., Zhou R., Li Y., Liu S., Cai X., He W., Cui M., Zhao X., Hettinghouse A., Good J., Kim E., Strauss E., Leucht P., Schwarzkopf R., Guo EX., Samuels J., Hu W., Attur M., Waxman SG., Liu CJ. Na(v)1.7 as a chondrocyte regulator and therapeutic target for osteoarthritis. Nature. 2024 Jan;625(7995):557-565. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06888-7. Epub 2024 Jan 3.