OU Researchers Say New Protein Fragment May Improve Cartilage Regeneration

-

Detamore Research

Current methods to regenerate injured cartilage produce tissue that can break down. This deterioration can eventually lead to osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis that affects more than 32.5 million adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The problem with cartilage regeneration is that cartilage is not able to heal itself, so you end up with an inferior, fibrous kind of tissue – similar to scar tissue – that is susceptible to breaking down over time, leading to more serious interventions like a total knee replacement surgery,” said Michael Detamore, Ph.D., the founding director, professor and Stephenson Chair of Biomedical Engineering in the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma.

Detamore (photo) is the principal investigator of a research project conducted at OU and OU Health that uses a protein fragment identified by comparing two molecules known to support stem cell conversion to true cartilage cells. 

“The patients that we aim to help are those who have had a recent impact injury to the cartilage in their knee, such as from a car accident or sports injury,” Detamore said. “For someone who has a focal, local cartilage injury, this treatment we’re investigating has the potential to repair that cartilage. The questions that we’re asking are, ‘How can we help the body heal itself?’ ‘How can we help the cells that are already present in the bone marrow underneath the cartilage to become actual cartilage cells?’”

The project, funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, will evaluate the repair of injured cartilage in a rabbit knee by placing a material containing the new protein fragment at the injury site.

The research team includes Handan Acar, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, and orthopedic surgeon Amgad Haleem, M.D., Ph.D., at OU Health. 

“Professor Acar is a worldwide expert in peptides (small fragments of proteins),” Detamore said. “Her research leverage peptides to fight cancer. For our project, she’s applying her expertise to help us leverage peptides to regenerate cartilage cells from bone marrow stem cells.”

“Dr. Haleem, as a clinician-scientist, brings to the project a deep understanding of the science behind cartilage repair, coupled with surgical ability and expertise,” said Detamore.

An additional benefit of the team’s approach to helping the body regenerate cartilage could alleviate the need for some medications and ease adoption into the market.

“If a surgeon has access to this material that the cells respond to, as opposed to needing to add a drug or cells from another source – if the material itself could elicit the desired response from those cells – then we’re helping the body to heal itself and make new cartilage, rather than inferior scar tissue,” Detamore said. 

“Added to this,” he continued, “the translational benefits, such as lower costs of raw materials, also mean lower costs to the patients, hospitals and insurance companies, and a more straightforward pathway through the FDA. These translational and business advantages of getting this to a patient, go side-by-side with the scientific advantages of helping us better understand how the cells respond.”

The idea for this project resulted from the dissertation work of a doctoral student in Detamore’s Translational Regenerative Medicine Laboratory. Salma Mahzoon, Ph.D., is now a scientist for a pharmaceutical company located in Maryland. Her related research was published in 2019 in the Annals of Biomedical Engineering.

“Her foundational research created a platform that enabled this project to be possible,” he said.

By OU Vice President for Research and Partnerships

 


Popular posts from this blog

OU Engineering Students Shine in Community Projects

-
Image
At the University of Oklahoma, a transformative course called Pathways to Engineering Thinking is leaving a mark on OU students and the community. In the first-year engineering course, over 800 students across 16 sections collaborated to tackle real-world challenges presented by community partners. Their projects ranged from developing prosthetic limbs for injured animals to creating innovative solutions for community gardens and zoos. The course aims to guide students through the engineering design process, emphasizing collaborative teamwork and problem-solving skills.  This semester’s projects reached many areas of the community. Partnerships with the OU Food Pantry, OU Community Garden, Oklahoma City Zoo, OU Engineering K-12 Outreach, a local dog rescue and the City of Norman provided students with real-world challenges to address. Each team delved into issues presented by the partners, working toward delivering functional design solutions by the semester’s end. The heart of the cou
Read more

OU Students Take on Habitat Challenge: Sooners Without Borders Constructs Ramp, More in Iowa

-
Image
In early January, six students from Sooners Without Borders at the University of Oklahoma headed to Des Moines, Iowa, teaming up with Habitat for Humanity. Their goal: construct an accessibility ramp for a local family. Their mission was part of Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge program, providing year-round volunteer opportunities for college students. The students, all from the Gallogly College of Engineering at OU, embraced the challenge. Formerly Engineers Without Borders, Sooners Without Borders had changed its name to be more inclusive of all majors at OU, says Lisa Morales, the group's staff adviser. “A lot of projects used to focus on clean water and students had the opportunity to travel abroad. Once Covid happened, we had to shift the focus of Sooner Without Borders,” Morales said.  In Des Moines, the project expanded beyond the ramp, involving tasks like installing kitchen cabinets and flooring for a new home. Morales says she was impressed with the student’s adeptness with
Read more

OU Engineering Welcomes 14 New Faculty Members for 2023-24

-
Image
OU Engineering has welcomed 14 new faculty members for the 2023-24 academic year. This marks a milestone in the college's growth journey, with faculty numbers increasing from just over 100 in 2017 to 175 in 2023. OU Engineering is committed to expanding its faculty ranks, aiming for over 200 faculty members by the 2025-26 academic year, says OU Engineering Dean John Klier. To achieve this goal, the college has initiated more than 20 faculty searches. The State of Oklahoma continues to acknowledge the need for more engineers. They recently responded to OU Engineering’s request for additional recurring funding. The funding will play a crucial role in offering undergraduate student tuition waivers, supporting graduate students and helping recruit new faculty and staff. These positions will be phased in over the next three years. "OU Engineering extends its gratitude for the ongoing support from the State of Oklahoma as it continues to address the growing demand for engineers,&quo
Read more