A method of predicting the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) comprising: (a) measuring the nuclear cellular level of prohibitin (PHB-1) in nucleated cells present in a blood sample from a subject having or suspected of having OA; and (b) comparing said nuclear cellular level to that corresponding to a control sample; and (c) identifying the subject as being at risk of developing OA when the nuclear cellular level of said PHB-1 in said blood sample is higher than in the control sample; and a composition for determining the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA), said composition comprising: a cell sample from a subject; and a non-naturally occurring molecule for detecting nuclear accumulation of PHB1.

The present invention provides new protease resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

There is provided a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence N-terminal-SGPTH and an antibody against this peptide. The peptide can be used for diagnosis in humans and animals, in particular horses. In particular the antibody can be used for diagnosis of a systemic low-grade chronic inflammatory disease such as osteoarthritis or atherosclerosis, or a neurodegenerative disease or neuroinflammatory disease.

The invention provides a prophylactic agent or therapeutic agent for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, containing as an active ingredient a binding inhibitor that inhibits interaction between activin and activin A receptor type I (ACVR1), or an expression suppressor that suppresses expression of activin.

A transgenic knockout non-human animal is described whose genome includes a heterozygous disruption of the expression of at least one endogenous gene encoding zinc-finger, CCHC domain-containing protein 6 (ZCCHC6). The transgenic animal model can be used to study bone disease or development by determining differences in bone characteristics, protein expression, or cytokine expression in the animal model in comparison to a corresponding wild-type non-human animal.

The invention relates to methods for monitoring progression of an inflammatory condition in a subject. In particular embodiments the patient is undergoing treatment of the inflammatory condition and the method comprises monitoring the level of one or more biomarkers to monitor disease progression, for example to assist the clinician in optimizing the treatment regimen. In particular embodiments the subject is undergoing treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In particular embodiments the invention relates to methods of monitoring the effectiveness of autologous or allogeneic cell therapy of a patient having a condition characterized by cartilage damage or degeneration, such as OA, for example in order to assist a practitioner in determining an appropriate time to administer a further dose of cells. The invention also provides kits and components for use in the methods.

Contemplated test kits and methods for food sensitivity related to osteoarthritis are based on rational-based selection of food preparations with established discriminatory p-value. In some embodiments, kits include those with a minimum number of food preparations that have an average discriminatory p-value of ?0.07 as determined by their raw p-value or an average discriminatory p-value of ?0.10 as determined by FDR multiplicity adjusted p-value. In further contemplated aspects, compositions and methods for food sensitivity are also stratified by gender to further enhance predictive value.

The present invention refers to osteomodulin (OMD) protein or fragment of osteomodulin (OMD) protein for use in the prognosis and/or diagnosis of osteoarthritis and/or subchondral bone sclerosis of mammals, preferably human individuals. The present invention further refers to a method for prognosis and/or diagnosis of osteoarthritis and/or subchondral bone sclerosis, comprising the following steps: i) measuring osteomodulin (OMD) protein or a fragment or fragments of osteomodulin (OMD) protein in samples of body fluids of mammalian individuals, preferably human serum samples; ii) judging that decreased levels of osteomodulin (OMD) protein or of said fragment(s) compared to levels in body fluids, preferably serum, of healthy individuals indicate onset of osteoarthritis and/or subchondral bone sclerosis. The present invention also provides an immunological binding partner specifically binding to osteomodulin (OMD) protein or fragment of osteomodulin (OMD) protein for use in the prognosis and/or diagnosis of osteoarthritis and/or subchondral bone sclerosis of mammals, preferably human individuals and a kit comprising said immunological binding partner.

There is disclosed herein methods, uses and systems for the detection, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment or prevention of a disease or condition comprising cartilage degeneration in a subject that is in need thereof. The methods comprise the use, inhibition or measurement of at least one of miR-181 a-5p and miR-4454, in the subject.

Antibodies against citrullinated protein antigens (ACPA) have shown their relevance for the diagnosis and possibly pathogenesis in arthritis. Described are means and methods for determining antibodies against homocitrulline-containing proteins or carbamylated proteins/peptides (anti-CarP) for the classification of individuals suffering from, or at risk of suffering from, arthritis.