Is arthritis hereditary?

Osteoarthritis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and its prevalence is growing, with more and more people each year facing debilitating symptoms as a result. Although there are many treatments available that can treat the symptoms, and perhaps slow the progression of the disease, there is no cure for arthritis, and we don’t fully understand what causes the condition – why some people are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, and to what extent genetic factors are at play in this. 

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, making it all the more important that we understand as much as possible about its causes. 

A recent study, Translational genomics of osteoarthritis in 1,962,069 individuals, has uncovered new data to help us better understand the genetic factors that can lead to the development of osteoarthritis. The work was funded by several bodies, including MRC CIMA, and a grant from the Helmholtz Foundation.

Professor Mark Wilkinson is one of the authors of the study, and he is also a consultant orthopaedic surgeon practicing at Thornbury Hospital, where he has helped countless patients to take control of their arthritis symptoms. He focuses particularly on hip arthritis and knee arthritis, helping people to manage their hip pain or knee pain with a variety of expert treatments. 

Professor Wilkinson is an internationally renowned expert on hip and knee pain and on the causes of arthritis. Here he talks us through the findings of his latest study, explaining exactly what the research found and what this means for people with arthritis.

What was the main objective of the study?

Osteoarthritis affects almost 600 million people worldwide and is the third most rapidly growing cause of disability, after dementia and diabetes. 

We want to understand the causes of arthritis so that we can develop treatments for the disease, so that the quarter of a million people each year in England alone that have a joint replacement have other choices – ones that stop the disease itself, rather than just treating the symptoms.  

The findings of this research will help healthcare professionals, and of course the people with arthritis themselves. 

In this study, we wanted to see if there was a clue to what causes arthritis within people’s genetic profiles. We wanted to see how the individual profile affects the cells and tissues of the joint, and see how this effect takes place.

How did you conduct your research?

Firstly, we gathered together the genetic information from nearly half a million people with osteoarthritis and 1.5 million people from what we call the background population, which means the general population – not specifically people with arthritis. We then compared the genetic profile (DNA fingerprint) of the two groups. 

Where we identified differences, we then looked at the tissue from patients’ joints (here most of the data came from Sheffield), and we looked to see if the genetic differences from the first piece of work resulted in a change in the biology of the cells.

I was leading on the elements of the study that took place in Sheffield, assisted by my colleagues Karan Shah, post doc and Diane Swift, senior research nurse.

What did you find?

In the first part of the study, we found over 900 differences in the DNA fingerprint of people who have arthritis versus the background population. In the second part of the study we found that these differences link to 700 specific genes that cover 8 patterns of biology in the cell that are involved in arthritis development. 

We also found that 10% of these genes have a drug already made that might be explored as a treatment for arthritis.

What would you say in answer to the questions, is arthritis genetic? and, is arthritis hereditary?

 Absolutely! About one half of all your risk of getting arthritis comes from your parents. They may not have shown the disease themselves but they pass on the risk to you!

What are the next steps based on your findings?

 The next steps are to further explore these biological pathways in the lab. In Sheffield, we have a leading lab in working out how these cells behave and what drug might be used against arthritis.

 

 Are you living with arthritis pain?

If you would like to find out more about treatment for osteoarthritis, book online for a consultation with Professor Wilkinson, or call our team of advisors to find an orthopaedic consultant near you.