2023-05-24 23:00:00
Previous research has shown that fatty tissue that has been metabolically altered by obesity releases proteins called cytokines and adipokines, which are known to promote inflammation in the body.
The recently published study observed that in cells taken from biopsies of arthritic joints, obesity also alters the environment inside the joint itself, leaving the cells of the joint vulnerable to “transformation” into cells that promote inflammation.
Dr Susanne Wijesinghe, from the Institute of Inflammation and Aging at the University of Birmingham, said: “We have found that obesity can lead to a change in the environment of the joint itself: it can promote the kind of destructive inflammation in the joints that goes far beyond what one would expect from the only wear, even in the joints that do not support weight, such as the hands. »
Obesity creates an environment in the body that negatively affects cells called synovial fibroblasts, which are cells involved in regulating joint lubricating fluid.
These cells are recoded, which promotes the development of inflammation in the fluid surrounding the joints. These affected cells, in turn, affect the entire joint, increasing the secretion of chemicals, which degrades the joint and increases the progression of osteoarthritis.
The research team used biopsy data from a range of joints, including weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees, as well as the hands, to determine whether the additional physical stress on the joints associated with obesity resulted in pro-inflammatory cytokines (messengers).
The results showed that obesity had independent effects on weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing joints, and that in the 16 patients with BMIs greater than 30, weight alone did not explain molecular changes in these joints.
Zoe Chivers, Director of Services and Influencing at the charity Versus Arthritis, said: ” This study provides further evidence that osteoarthritis is not simply inevitable wear and tear, but the result of complex and diverse biochemical changes in the joint. These results significantly improve our understanding of the causes of osteoarthritis, bringing us closer to finding more effective treatments in the future. ».
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