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UK funding (£506,902): A human 3D bone-sensory nerve co-culture model to investigate bone-derived pain Ukri15 Oct 2023 UK Research and Innovation, United Kingdom
Overview
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A human 3D bone-sensory nerve co-culture model to investigate bone-derived pain
| Abstract | Background Bone-derived pain from conditions such as cancer metastasis, non-healing fracture, osteoporotic fracture, or osteoarthritis (OA) are notoriously hard to manage and prevalent, with an estimated 1.5 million bone cancer metastases, 22 million non-union factures, 8.9 million osteoporotic fractures and 530 million OA sufferers currently worldwide. Complex signalling exists between bone and nerves which couple pathology and pain in health and disease. Sensory nerve invasion and sensitisation are associated with bone diseases, and intrinsic to pain responses in animal models and human patients with osteoarthritis, fracture and bone metastasis. This project aims to (i) develop a humanised 3D bone-sensory nerve co-culture model, (ii) use the model to investigate mechanisms linking changes in bone structure to local pain sensation and (iii) test whether the model can screen 2 drugs known to prevent pain and influence bone structure. Investigating bone-nerve interactions is challenging due to the position of these nerves within mineralised bone. Currently, no human derived models of the sensory nerve-bone interface exist. Some models of bone pain have been produced that use nerves from the spine, called dorsal root ganglia (DRG) from animals and humans, but are technically challenging and not commonly adopted. Animal models are extensively used for the investigation of bone derived pain. In 2019, over 650 original research papers were published investigating bone derived pain in pathology using animal models, 4% of which were large animals including canines, with an average of 23 animals typically used per study, totalling over 14000 animals. A pharmaceutical company testing drugs for bone pain may use more than 1000 animals p.a. In a recent review on orthopaedic animal testing15, it was revealed that over a 9-year period, 40% of academic orthopaedic animal studies were never published and almost half of those published were never cited totalling nearly 10,000 animal lives with no justifiable impact on orthopaedic knowledge. Animal models of osteoarthritis use >10 animals per group to reveal effects on bone structure and pain. For example, in osteoarthritis research 132-198 mice or 360 rats would be used to test 1 drug. Our new bone-sensory nerve model will facilitate low-cost research to identify new molecular targets and pre-screening of drugs for pain. It will reduce early-stage preclinical research animal usage, and replace models currently used to identify and test new treatments to ease bone derived pain. We will promote the use of this model over animal testing through dissemination at national and International conferences and workshops (e.g. Orthopaedic Research Society Preclinical Models Section, British Orthopaedic Research Society, Osteoarthritis Research Society International), and by validation with drugs from our current collaborators in the pharmaceutical industry. |
| Category | Research Grant |
| Reference | NC/Y000951/1 |
| Status | Active |
| Funded period start | 15/10/2023 |
| Funded period end | 28/02/2027 |
| Funded value | £506,902.00 |
| Source | https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NC%2FY000951%2F1 |
Participating Organisations
| CARDIFF UNIVERSITY | |
| TheWell bioscience inc | |
| Orphelion Pharmaceuticals AB |
The filing refers to a past date, and does not necessarily reflect the current state. The current state is available on the following page: Cardiff University, Cardiff.
