Corticosteroids Induce Premature Cell Death of Chondrocytes in Articular Cartilage.
Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid commonly used in humans and domestic animals, particularly in the treatment of painful conditions. When articular cartilage cells were subjected to dexamethasone, cell proliferation was inhibited. Even more significant than that was the fact that dexamethasone induced cell apoptosis.44 Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death. In simple terms, dexamethasone caused chondrocytes to die a premature death. The mechanism by which corticosteroids does this is most likely through blocking the anti-apoptotic effects of Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).45,46
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