Researchers may have found a preventative measure for osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and plagues about 30 million adults just in the United States alone. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute recently looked into how a certain protein known as FoxO affected joint health in mice. Lower levels of FoxO contributed to the degeneration of joints at a younger age and a greater chance of damage to cartilage. FoxO-deficient mice also showed poorer autophagy, which is the process where cells get rid of damaged components to carry out repairs, and not enough lubricin, which is a protein that protects joint cartilage from damage in the first place. Perhaps the most hopeful bit is that researchers increasing FoxO expression in cells taken from people with osteoarthritis saw a renewed expression of autophagy and lubricin production. More research will be conducted on creating molecules that increase FoxO levels and their potential effects.

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