Discovery could ease pain of bone diseases

A protein which may ease the pain for millions of people who suffer from bone disease has been discovered.

Researchers at Manchester and Oxford Universities have found a naturally occurring protein molecule that protects against inflammation and halts bone erosion.

The team believe their work could help develop new and safer treatments for conditions such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. The protein, called TSG-6, is produced at high levels in inflamed tissue such as the joints of arthritis patients and the lungs of asthmatics.

The study, to be published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, represents a major advance in the understanding of tissue regeneration and repair, the researchers said. "Our latest research, using cells grown in culture, shows that ... TSG-6 can inhibit the erosion of bone," they said.

"This suggests that it might halt the excessive erosion that occurs in conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis."