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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

UPR, osteoarthritis, OA, BBS, Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, unfolded protein response

College

Life Sciences

Department

Physiology and Developmental Biology

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis, affecting more than 26 million people in the United States1. The condition decreases mobility and causes pain. Furthermore, the spending for medical treatment of osteoarthritis is increasing quickly: Spending doubled from 1994 to 2005. With the increasing age of the U.S. population, prevalence of OA is expected to continue rising1. Thus it is important to find effective treatments to alleviate symptoms and/or prevent osteoarthritis. Recent research has shown that osteoarthritis involves more than just the cartilage of the joint. Synovium and adipose tissue contribute to the breakdown of articular cartilage2. Also, recent research has shown that the biochemistry of articular cartilage plays a significant role in its function and degradation2. The chemical content of extracellular fluid in cartilage is believed to change the function and metabolism of cartilage cells, or chondrocytes3. We hypothesized that one of the metabolic pathways that contributes to osteoarthritis is the unfolded protein response (UPR), a mechanism that protects the endoplasmic reticulum from being damaged by excessive protein buildup. The UPR has been shown to contribute to osteoarthritis in a different mutant mouse model. We are searching for evidence that demonstrates the UPR also contributes to osteoarthritis in the Bardet-Biedl Syndrome mutant mouse model.

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