第7巻 2011年10月　第4号

■綜説

関節軟骨細胞の老化とストレス応答を利用した変形性関節症治療
高橋　謙治
日本医科大学大学院医学研究科神経・腎臓・膠原病リウマチ学
日本医科大学付属病院リウマチ科

Aging in Articular Chondrocytes and Treatment Strategy for Osteoarthritis by Utilizing Stress Response
Kenji Takahashi
Divisions of Neurology, Nephrology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School
Department of Rheumatology, Nippon Medical School

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent musculoskeletal disorder in the elderly population. OA is characterized by a gradual loss of extracellular matrix in the articular cartilage of joints. No medical agents have shown evidence that they are disease-modifying OA drugs, which attenuates progression of OA, nor has practical application of biological agents that are intended to alleviate symptoms been realized. Therefore, it is preferable to administer conservative therapy that is easy, simple, and effective in inhibiting OA progression at an early stage. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has a protective effect on the cartilage and inhibits the apoptosis of chondrocytes. Hyperthermia to the joints can increase HSP70 expression in chondrocytes, and, at the same time, HSP70 expression partially enhances matrix metabolism of the cartilage. These findings suggest that hyperthermia can be applied to the treatment of OA. Hyperthermia is, therefore, expected to be an inexpensive and less-invasive conservative therapy for OA.

日医大医会誌 2011; 7(4), 150-155

Key words
osteoarthritis, chondrocyte, heat shock protein, aging, hyperthermia

Correspondence to
Kenji Takahashi, Department of Rheumatology, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8603, Japan
E-mail：kenji-am@nms.ac.jp

受付：2011年3月30日　受理：2011年5月6日