TGF-beta signal transduction pathways and osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, resulting in substantial disability and economic burden worldwide. While its exact pathogenesis remains elusive, both in vitro and human population-based studies have merged to support the hypothesis that TGF-beta/BMP-mediated signalling pathways play a role in the development of OA. Unraveling the TGF-beta/BMP-mediated mechanism(s) in OA has great potential in identifying novel targets and developing new drugs for OA treatment. This review summarizes both in vitro and in vivo evidence of TGF-beta/BMP-mediated signal transduction pathways in OA and discusses the future research direction in this regard.