University of Gothenburg
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Carmen Corciulo

Researcher

Department of Pharmacology
Mail
carmen.corciulo@gu.se
Visiting address
Medicinaregatan 11-13
41390 Göteborg
Postal address
Box 431
40530 Göteborg

About Carmen Corciulo

The research group is led by Dr. Carmen Corciulo. She graduated from the University of Ferrara with an MSc degree in Molecular Biology, and in 2014 she received a PhD in Molecular Pharmacology from the same university. After her PhD, she took on a postdoctoral position at New York University – Division of Translational Medicine (New York, USA). In 2019 she started a new post-doc position at the Department of Rheumatology and in 2021-2022 she was a Marie-Curie's postdoctoral fellow.

In 2023 she established her laboratory at the Department of Pharmacology at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.

Sex differences in osteoarthritis pain: exploring the pain perception in male and female subjects

Alterations of articular cartilage function and tissues surrounding the joint can lead to osteoarthritis, in which mild inflammation plays a key role by activating and sustaining the production of catabolic factors responsible for cartilage degradation. OA is characterized by inflammation of the synovial membrane, loss of articular cartilage and trabecular subchondral bone, and thickening of the cortical subchondral bone with the formation of bony outgrowths called osteophytes.

OA is one of the most common causes of chronic pain in Europe. Pain in OA is a complex phenomenon, attributable to different independent mechanisms that interact with each other. These include the following: (1) local processes around the joint involving the thickness of the synovial membrane and alteration of the subchondral bone, localized under the articular cartilage; (2) neuronal mechanisms, such as major innervation of the joint tissues and reduction of the pain threshold, which lead to increased responsiveness of the peripheral nerve to non-noxious stimuli; and (3) genetic components and co-morbidities such as obesity and diabetes, which contribute to the pain sensitivities. Pain also has a strong social and emotional component.

The research activities in Carmen’s group aim to uncover the biological differences behind the different pain sensitivity in male and female patients with OA.

Why our research is important?

- Chronic pain and reduced mobility are associated with anxiety, depression, and a general poor life quality. Currently, the therapeutic strategies available are not able to block or revert the progression of the disease and pain relievers come with important side effects and work for a limited time.

- Women with musculoskeletal diseases, OA among them, take more sick leave than men creating differences in career opportunities and gender inequity.

- Data about pain in OA will pave the way for understanding pain mechanisms in other diseases involving the bone, like osteoporosis and bone cancer.

Research strategies

1 – Define the role of ovarian hormones in the physiologic mechanisms that, if disrupted, will lead to bone damage, joint inflammation, and triggering of pain in pre-clinical models;

2- Test the efficacy of a new therapeutic approach in preventing joint damage in an OA mouse model;

3- Identify sex differences in osteoarthritis patients and their link to the pain intensity.