Emerging concepts in osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal diseases: Insights from the University of Debrecen Musculoskeletal Symposium 2025

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Objective To highlight the key translational advances and interdisciplinary discussions from the 2025 University of Debrecen Musculoskeletal Symposium (UD-MUSK), focusing on osteoarthritis (OA) and related musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases. Method The UD-MUSK Symposium convened international and local experts for keynote presentations and scientific dialogue spanning OA and MSK disease mechanisms, translational therapies, and tissue regeneration. Core topics included extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, cell/gene therapies, animal disease models, chronic stress, autoimmunity, immunotherapies, and muscle and stem cell biology, reflecting the Symposium's broad interdisciplinary spectrum. Results ECM proteomics revealed degradation fragments that act as drivers and potential modulators of OA, offering new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Advances in cell- and gene-based therapies were presented, including the use of growth differentiation factor 6 (GDF6) and CRISPR approaches for cartilage and intervertebral disc repair. Large animal models simulating spatio-temporal changes in human OA, and studies demonstrating chronic stress-accelerated OA via neuroendocrine mechanisms, were highlighted. Novel strategies in immune modulation, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for autoimmune myopathies, alongside research on muscle regeneration and circadian regulation by

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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