Tendon pain such as Achilles pain, tennis elbow and jumper’s knee affects many people, including young athletes and older adults. A research team at ETH Zurich found that part of the protein HIF1 controls gene activity in tendon cells. They saw higher HIF1 in diseased tendons, but its role was not clear before.
The team used experiments in mice and studied human tendon tissue from surgeries. In mice, keeping HIF1 active caused tendon disease even without overload. Turning HIF1 off protected tendons from disease. Higher HIF1 changed collagen structure and let blood vessels and nerves grow into tendon. The researchers will look for safer drug targets.
Difficult words
- tendon — strong band that connects muscle to bonetendons
- protein — molecule in cells that does work
- gene — part of DNA that controls traits
- collagen — protein that gives structure to tissue
- disease — illness or medical problem in body
- tissue — group of similar cells in an organ
- overload — too much load or stress on something
- protect — keep safe from harm or dangerprotected
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you play sports or exercise often? Could this cause tendon pain?
- What could people do to protect their tendons in daily life?
- Why do you think researchers want to find safer drug targets for tendon problems?
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