Runx2 plays a central role in Osteoarthritis development

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, is the leading cause of impaired mobility in the elderly, and accounts for more than a third of chronic moderate to severe pain. As a degenerative joint disorder, OA affects the whole joint and results in synovial hyperplasia, degradation of articular cartilage, subchondral sclerosis, osteophyte formation, and chronic pain. Currently, there is no effective drug to decelerate OA progression and molecular targets for drug development have been insufficiently investigated. Anti-OA drug development can benefit from more and precise knowledge of molecular targets for drug development. Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) is a key transcription factor controlling osteoblast and chondrocyte differentiation and is among the most promising potential therapeutic targets. Notably, Runx2 expression is upregulated in several murine OA models, suggesting a role in disease pathogenesis. In this review article, we summarized recent findings on Runx2 related to OA development and evaluated its potential as a therapeutic target. The translational potential of this article: A better understanding of the role of Runx2 in osteoarthritis pathogenesis will contribute to the development of novel intervention of osteoarthritis disease.