Targeting Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 for the Development of Disease-Modifying Osteoarthritis Drugs.

One of the most pressing issues in osteoarthritis (OA) research is the development of disease-modifying OA drugs (DMOADs), as currently there are no such drugs available. The paucity of suitable DMOADs is mostly due to the lack of approved ideal therapeutic targets necessary for the development of these drugs. However, based on recent discoveries from our laboratory and other independent laboratories, it is indicated that a cell surface receptor tyrosine kinase for collagen type II, discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2), may be an ideal therapeutic target for the development of DMOADs. In this article, we review the current status of research in understanding roles of DDR2 in the development of OA.