Study shows new perspective on canine joint disease

A protein that lubricates the body’s joints may be a precursor of joint disease in dogs, a new study shows, contradicting previous assumptions that the protein decreases in joint disease.

Researchers at Cornell University say the study, published in Scientific Reports, could have larger implications for human joint injuries involving the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The protein, lubricin, “is crucial for normal joint function and the lubrication of cartilage,” said Heidi Reesink, an assistant professor in Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “We know that if a person or animal doesn’t make that protein, they will develop devastating joint disease affecting all the major weight-bearing joints.”

Reesink’s study found that in canine patients that had suffered a ligament tear in the knee, lubricin increased within the joint, contrary to previous assumptions. “The dogma in this field has been that lubricin decreases in joint disease,” Reesink said.

“This indicates that the presence of increased lubricin might actually be a biomarker for predicting future osteoarthritis,” Reesink said. “We also saw increased lubricin in dogs months to years after they injured their ACLs, suggesting that lubricin might be an indicator of ongoing joint instability.”