Knee arthritis in the elderly is caused by insufficient production of Klotho protein

Molecular biologists in the United States have revealed that one of the causes of knee arthritis in older people is underproduction of the Klotho protein, which regulates the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Nature Communications reports that approximately 1 in 15 people on the planet suffers from various forms of arthritis and joint degenerative diseases.

As these infections progress, the cartilage in the joints is irreversibly damaged, causing permanent pain. This process is associated with the development of inflammation and the infiltration of chondrocyte immune cells. However, the mechanism of arthritis development has not yet been elucidated.

American scientists studied an elderly cartilage model of arthritis, performing experiments on laboratory mice aged 4 months to 2 years and collecting samples of articular cartilage.

According to the researchers, the state of articular cartilage in mice at this time corresponds to that in humans aged 20-69.

Cartilage tissue analysis showed that in 95% of cases the development of arthritis was accompanied by suppression of the activity of the gene involved in the production of the ‘Klotho’ protein.

According to «Russia Today», researchers have found that this protein protects cartilage from mechanical damage and also plays a role in suppressing inflammation that contributes to the development of age-related arthritis.