THE APPLICATION OF PROTEOMICS IN THE STUDY OF OSTEOARTHRITIS

Purpose: For a highly complex, multifaceted disorder such as osteoarthritis,
proteomic approaches have much to offer. Biomarker “fingerprints”
which indicate disease outcome, networks of molecular pathology and
therapeutic targets can be filtered out from background signals with
proteomic techniques.
Methods: Following closely on the heels of genomic screening, proteomic
platforms have the potential to provide additional levels of understanding
to the leading edge of osteoarthritic disease. Proteomic tools have the
significant advantage in not precluding biomarker identity, so research
strategies can be formed in an objective, “unsupervised” fashion.
Results: This talk aims to give the unitiated an overview of the technologies
currently available, highlighting their assets and pitfalls. A brief
history of findings to date from published proteomics studies of synovial
fluid, cells and tissue will be reviewed from a variety of arthrides. The
importance of formulating clinically relevant questions will form a major
focus and novel strategies and sufficient powering of studies will be
discussed.
Conclusions: This workshop gives the opportunity to learn of the skills
now available, giving inspiration and expanding on existing knowledge.
The content is pitched at scientists and clinicians with limited knowledge
of global proteomic technologies and strategies and an interest in applying
them in the study of osteoarthritis.