Weizmann Institute of sciences: Study May Lead to Improved Future Therapies for Osteoarthritis

Hundreds of millions worldwide suffer from osteoarthritis, which is caused by degradation of the cartilage coating the joints that is believed to result from the breakdown of natural lubrication mechanisms. The lab of Prof. Jacob Klein in the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science Department has for many years studied lubrication processes in the joints. Central to these processes are fatty molecules, known as lipids, that reduce friction at the cartilage surface, yet joints contain over a hundred different lipids, and a crucial question is – why so many? Klein’s team set out to find out which lipids are essential for effective lubrication and in which combinations. In a study being published now in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the researchers reveal how different lipid mixtures work and show that certain mixtures are greatly superior to others. These findings shed light on natural lubrication processes in the joints and may lead to the development of improved therapies for osteoarthritis.