| abstract |
The role of the JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway cellular mechanisms that lead to the onset and progression of degenerative joint diseases or disorders such as osteoarthritis (OA) is disclosed. Certain known effective OA therapeutics such as hymenialdisine, debromohymenialdisine, and its variants and derivatives are shown to function as JAK3-specific inhibitors, which downregulate steady state mRNA levels of key cellular components involved in cartilage degradation. Another JAK3-specific inhibitor, not previously known as an OA therapeutic, is shown to downregulate steady state mRNA levels of various cellular components involved in cartilage degradation in a manner identical to that of the known OA therapeutics. |