New joint lubrication technique for people with arthritis

A new way of lubricating arthritic joints has been developed in the US – one that mimics one of the body’s natural functions, a team reports in Nature Materials.
Scientists have been able to bind a molecule naturally found in the fluid surrounding healthy joints, creating surfaces that can deliver long-lasting lubrication at specific spots throughout the body.
Hyaluronic acid is found in large quantities in the synovial fluid around the joints. But the current approach of injecting hyaluronic acid into joints (viscosupplementation) is limited because the body’s natural cleaning processes quickly wash the substance away.
So the researchers created a synthetic molecule (polyethylene glycol) to bind hyaluronic acid on to natural and artificial cartilage. In lab experiments, the bound hyaluronic acid was difficult to wash away. And it was able to reduce friction as successfully as when the tissues were immersed in hyaluronic acid.
“What I like about this concept is that we’re mimicking natural functions that are lost using synthetic materials,” lead author, Prof Jennifer Elisseeff says.
The experts hope the technique could offer a new way of easing the pain experienced by people with arthritic joints. And it could also be used to lubricate artificial joints to keep them moving smoothly.
But in the UK the use of hyaluronic acid or viscosupplementation is currently not approved for the treatment of osteoarthritis by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) because it is not adjudged to be sufficiently clinically or cost effective, warns a spokesman from Arthritis Research UK:
“It remains to be seen whether this new joint lubrication technique can be practically applied to patients.”

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