Abstract
The prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) is rising worldwide, with the most pronounced increase being in the category of metabolic-associated osteoarthritis (MetOA). This is predicted to worsen with the global rise in aging societies and obesity. To address this health burden, research is being conducted to identify foods that can reduce the incidence or severity of MetOA. Oil from the Greenshell mussel (Perna canaliculus) (GSM), a native New Zealand shellfish, has been successfully used to reduce OA symptoms. The current study assessed the effect of including flash-dried powder from whole GSM meat as part of a normal (control) versus high-fat/high-sugar (HFHS) diet for 13 weeks on the development of MetOA in rats. Rats fed a HFHS diet developed metabolic dysregulation and obesity with elevated plasma leptin and HbA1C concentrations. Visible damage to knee joint cartilage was minimal, but plasma levels of C telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II), a biomarker of cartilage degradation, were markedly higher in HFHS-fed rats compared to control-fed rats. However, rats fed the HFHS diet containing GSM had significantly reduced serum CTX-II. Inclusion of GSM in rats fed the control diet also lowered CTX-II. These findings suggest that dietary GSM can reduce the incidence or slow the progression of early MetOA.
Highlights
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease of joints featuring articular cartilage erosion resulting in progressive pain and joint immobility
The relationship between obesity and osteoarthritis is not due to the physical demands caused by additional body; this is evident because frequently osteoarthritis in obese patients occurs in non-weight bearing joints such as the fingers, hands, wrists and temporomandibular joint [2]
The GreenshellTM mussel (GSM) powder used to supplement the rat diets was comprised of approximately 43% protein, 22% carbohydrate, 21% ash, 8% fat, and 6% moisture (Table 1)
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease of joints featuring articular cartilage erosion resulting in progressive pain and joint immobility. It affects 3.7% of the global population, equating to approximately. OA can be classified into four subtypes based on its pathogenesis: post-traumatic, genetic predisposing, ageing, and metabolic-associated osteoarthritis (MetOA). It is projected that MetOA incidence will continue to increase in parallel with the incidence of obesity. The relationship between obesity and osteoarthritis is not due to the physical demands caused by additional body; this is evident because frequently osteoarthritis in obese patients occurs in non-weight bearing joints such as the fingers, hands, wrists and temporomandibular joint [2]
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