Natural lubricant may treat and prevent osteoarthritis

Dr Gregory Jay from
Rhode Island Hospital

Adding lubricin – a lubricant that our bodies naturally produce – to the fluid in our joints may reduce the risk of (or even prevent) osteoarthritis, says research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The discoveries were made in part by studying the knees of mice and challenge the practice of injecting hyaluronic acid alone into the joints of people with osteoarthritis.

“The lubricant is a protein, not hyaluronic acid, and currently, there are no disease-modifying treatments for osteoarthritis,” explains Dr Gregory Jay. “This discovery, however, supports that adding a lubricin replacement to the fluid in joints may in fact prevent osteoarthritis in those who have a genetic predisposition to the illness, or who have suffered significant trauma to the joints.”

The implications

With people living longer and levels of obesity rising around the world, osteoarthritis looks set to negatively impact on the lives of millions from across the globe. The new discovery supports efforts of scientists to find a new way of protecting cartilage in those at higher risk.

Next steps

“We are working to create a replacement for natural lubricin that we hope will significantly improve the treatment options, and ultimately prevention measures, for those with early osteoarthritis or joint injuries,” says Dr Jay.