Scientists of Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and University of Melbourne, Australia have identified a new enzyme that causes arthritis.
The enzyme called ADAMTS5 destroys the cartilage by degrading the aggrecan in the joints. The cartilage destruction leads to inflammations and the severe joint pains that are the symptoms of the disease called arthritis.Arthritis is a condition that not only affects the elderly, but is known to affect the children as well. Arthritis in children can affect them from the age as less as six months and have a major influence on how their life shapes afterwards. Inflammatory arthritis is also common in conditions of cerebral palsy and diabetes. The report of the research is slated to come out in the March issue of Nature journal.
The scientists discovered that lack of presence of the enzyme ADAMTS5 in mice leads to inhibition of destroying of cartilage that leads to inflammatory arthritis. More research is required to prove that the same conditions lead to similar results in human beings also. Researchers are confident that more study will not only confirm the results for people, this will help in developing medication for inflammatory arthritis that will target the enzyme.
