Functional peptide therapeutics for veterinary osteoarthritis: mechanisms, delivery systems, and translational priorities
- 1Department of Chemistry, Kunsan National University , ,
- 2Department of Global Beauty Art, Kunsan National University , ,
- 3Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Cheongju University , ,
Abstract
Introduction: Veterinary osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic whole-joint disorder that causes pain, gait impairment, reduced activity, and diminished quality of life in companion and performance animals. Current multimodal management includes weight control, rehabilitation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, prostaglandin E2 EP4 receptor antagonists, anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies, intra-articular therapies, and nutraceuticals. Although these interventions improve pain and function, they generally do not restore the cartilage extracellular matrix or provide sustained disease modification. Functional peptides have emerged as promising candidates because of their potential to suppress inflammation, inhibit matrix degradation, promote chondrogenesis, target damaged cartilage, and support sustained or targeted delivery.
Methods: This narrative review evaluated the pathobiological rationale, veterinary evidence, peptide classes, delivery technologies, pharmacological requirements, and translational barriers relevant to veterinary OA. Targeted literature searches and qualitative evidence appraisal focused on clinical relevance, peptide mechanisms, delivery strategies, species-specific limitations, and the distinction between nutritional collagen hydrolysates and sequence-defined therapeutic peptides.
Results: Oral bioactive collagen peptides currently provide the most direct clinical evidence in naturally occurring canine and equine OA. However, the principal canine trial was limited by modest sample size and duration, predominantly symptomatic rather than structural outcomes, and manufacturer support. Thus, the available evidence supports potential adjunctive clinical benefit rather than a disease-modifying claim. Sequence-defined hyaluronan-binding, bone morphogenetic protein receptor-mimetic, collagen-binding, collagen-hybridizing, and cartilage-targeting peptides have demonstrated mechanistic or delivery advantages in cell, tissue, rodent, and selected large-animal studies, but target-species pharmacokinetic and clinical validation remains limited.
Discussion: A credible development pathway should integrate target-specific activity, protease stability, immunogenicity, manufacturability, species-appropriate delivery, joint exposure, repeated-dose safety, objective gait and activity outcomes, and structural endpoints. Functional peptides are unlikely to replace multimodal care in the near term but may become valuable adjunctive platforms and contribute to future disease-modifying strategies when biological activity is supported by demonstrated joint exposure, structural protection, and rigorous comparative trials.
Related
- Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) in Osteoarthritis: Immunomodulatory and Matrix-Supportive Potential, A2A Receptor-Associated Mechanisms, and Translational Challenges
- Hepatoprotective natural polyphenol extracts: molecular mechanisms, stabilization-delivery strategies, and translational bottlenecks for functional food applications
- Translational Challenges and Strategies for Antibody Therapeutics in Glioblastoma.
- Assessing the translational value of animal models in developing pain-targeting therapies for clinical osteoarthritis
- Alzheimer's Disease Neurofibrillary Pathophysiology: PTPRD- and Flavonol-Modified Mechanisms, Prevention and Therapeutics.
BibTeX
@article{choi2026functional,
title = {{Functional peptide therapeutics for veterinary osteoarthritis: mechanisms, delivery systems, and translational priorities}},
author = {Soo-Cheol Choi and Min Gyeong Song and Sun Young Yi and Sung Hoon Lee and In Ah Lee},
journal = {Frontiers in veterinary science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fvets.2026.1974160},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729709},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Functional peptide therapeutics for veterinary osteoarthritis: mechanisms, delivery systems, and translational priorities
AU - Soo-Cheol Choi
AU - Min Gyeong Song
AU - Sun Young Yi
AU - Sung Hoon Lee
AU - In Ah Lee
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Frontiers in veterinary science
DO - 10.3389/fvets.2026.1974160
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729709
AB - Introduction: Veterinary osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic whole-joint disorder that causes pain, gait impairment, reduced activity, and diminished quality of life in companion and performance animals. Current multimodal management includes weight control, rehabilitation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, prostaglandin E2 EP4 receptor antagonists, anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies, intra-articular therapies, and nutraceuticals. Although these interventions improve pain and function, they generally do not restore the cartilage extracellular matrix or provide sustained disease modification. Functional peptides have emerged as promising candidates because of their potential to suppress inflammation, inhibit matrix degradation, promote chondrogenesis, target damaged cartilage, and support sustained or targeted delivery. Methods: This narrative review evaluated the pathobiological rationale, veterinary evidence, peptide classes, delivery technologies, pharmacological requirements, and translational barriers relevant to veterinary OA. Targeted literature searches and qualitative evidence appraisal focused on clinical relevance, peptide mechanisms, delivery strategies, species-specific limitations, and the distinction between nutritional collagen hydrolysates and sequence-defined therapeutic peptides. Results: Oral bioactive collagen peptides currently provide the most direct clinical evidence in naturally occurring canine and equine OA. However, the principal canine trial was limited by modest sample size and duration, predominantly symptomatic rather than structural outcomes, and manufacturer support. Thus, the available evidence supports potential adjunctive clinical benefit rather than a disease-modifying claim. Sequence-defined hyaluronan-binding, bone morphogenetic protein receptor-mimetic, collagen-binding, collagen-hybridizing, and cartilage-targeting peptides have demonstrated mechanistic or delivery advantages in cell, tissue, rodent, and selected large-animal studies, but target-species pharmacokinetic and clinical validation remains limited. Discussion: A credible development pathway should integrate target-specific activity, protease stability, immunogenicity, manufacturability, species-appropriate delivery, joint exposure, repeated-dose safety, objective gait and activity outcomes, and structural endpoints. Functional peptides are unlikely to replace multimodal care in the near term but may become valuable adjunctive platforms and contribute to future disease-modifying strategies when biological activity is supported by demonstrated joint exposure, structural protection, and rigorous comparative trials.
SN - 2297-1769
ER -