What is this research about?
Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is usually only diagnosed after cartilage in the joint is damaged enough to be detected with medical imaging, at which point many people already have significant pain and disability. While researchers have searched for molecules in the blood that could suggest early OA is developing, this has not yet led to a success story. The links between inflammation, cartilage damage, pain, and OA risk may hold essential clues.
What did the researchers do?
Trainee Dr. Guomin Ren worked with Dr. Roman Krawetz and their team to study patterns in a complex network of 41 inflammatory molecules found in the blood of a group of young people with a high risk of developing OA – those with a past sport-related knee injury – compared to their uninjured peers. They also studied how one of these molecules worked in the lab.
What did they find?
A powerful computer analysis suggested that knee injury changed the patterns of inflammatory molecules in the blood before OA would typically be diagnosed. Further lab experiments revealed that one of these molecules, called CCL22, was linked with pain and cartilage damage, including the discovery of a new role of this molecule in cartilage cell death.
How can this research be used?
In the context of potentially detecting early OA, this study was the first to look at the big picture of a large network of many inflammatory molecules instead of studying one at a time. It also identified CCL22 as a promising potential “biomarker” for early OA (i.e., a sign of the developing disease that can be measured in the blood) and suggested that CCL22 could be a key player in the earliest stages of cartilage damage.
These findings provide researchers with several new avenues to study the potential of CCL22 as a biomarker and potential treatment target in detail. This may include longer term follow-up with the previously injured study participants to monitor OA development.
What impact could this have?
Millions of Canadians live with the pain of OA, which impacts their ability to move around, take care of themselves, work productively, and participate in activities they love. Catching OA earlier could help manage it before symptoms even develop.
If further research confirms that CCL22 is a novel biomarker for early OA, this could lead to a simple blood test to detect OA at its earliest stages. If new therapies can be developed to block CCL22, this could also lead to a new approach to preventing cartilage damage and OA progression.
About the researchers
Dr. Guomin Ren completed his PhD under the supervision of Dr. Roman Krawetz at the University of Calgary, with the support of an Arthritis Society Canada PhD Salary Award. The Krawetz lab continues to seek new approaches to OA treatment, including the potential of stem cell therapy. This is the focus of trainee Nedaa Aljezani, another recipient of a PhD Salary Award.
Researcher Reflection
Early detection along with effective treatments is the key to win the war against OA. This study brought us victory in another battle.
– Dr. Guomin Ren, University of Calgary
Real-world Reaction
Supporting research like that of Dr. Ren and Dr. Krawetz is crucial in the search for early detection of osteoarthritis. Inflammation was my first sign and it went unrecognized. Understanding the processes and contributors to the development of osteoarthritis is the first step in early treatment to minimize its lifelong impact. This research is so important!
– Cristy Spencer, living with osteoarthritis