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| Image by Leonard John Matthews |
People with osteoarthritis rarely cheer for new theories, especially when no treatments follow. This time, Johns Hopkins researchers found a new cause of cartilage loss and a way to slow it. If knees could smile, they might.
Current theories say physical trauma erodes cartilage. The Hopkins team saw trauma also damage nearby bone in mice. The body responds by releasing a protein that summons stem cells to repair bone. Those stem cells overproduce bone, increasing pressure on cartilage and worsening damage.
The team injected an antibody into joints to block the protein. This halted excess bone growth and slowed cartilage loss. Xu Cao explained that fixing the cushion alone will not fix the chair’s broken leg.
The work still needs human testing. A computer model of the human knee suggests the same process may occur.
Researchers have long suspected osteoarthritis involves more than mechanics. Evidence shows the immune system may play a role. CIRM grantee William Robinson explored this idea in a Spotlight presentation. His colleague Mark Genovese noted that arthritis stems from an imbalance between joint destruction and tissue repair.
This study highlights stem cells’ ability to form many tissues. Mesenchymal stem cells likely produced the excess bone. The challenge is directing them to make cartilage, not bone. This research adds another clue.
You can find more on stem cell approaches to osteoarthritis on our website, including a Story of Hope and a list of funded projects.
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