Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism

Objective To investigate the presence and bioactivity of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in synovial fluid (SF) of osteoarthritis (OA) patients and elucidate mechanisms modulating their inflammatory potential.Methods SF samples from 56 OA, 7 rheumatoid arthritis and 39 trauma patients were analysed for LP...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kari K Eklund, Caroline Ospelt, Thomas Rauer, Rodolfo Gómez, Hans-Christoph Pape, Kajetana Bevc, Shipin Zhang, Andres Pazos-Perez, Ana Alonso-Perez, David Fercher, Sami Kauppinen, Tuomas Frondelius, Valentino Bruhin, Gian Salzmann, Mikko Arttu Jalmari Finnilä, Marcy Zenobi Wong, Goncalo Barreto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-07-01
Series:RMD Open
Online Access:https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/11/3/e005622.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849701767494762496
author Kari K Eklund
Caroline Ospelt
Thomas Rauer
Rodolfo Gómez
Hans-Christoph Pape
Kajetana Bevc
Shipin Zhang
Andres Pazos-Perez
Ana Alonso-Perez
David Fercher
Sami Kauppinen
Tuomas Frondelius
Valentino Bruhin
Gian Salzmann
Mikko Arttu Jalmari Finnilä
Marcy Zenobi Wong
Goncalo Barreto
author_facet Kari K Eklund
Caroline Ospelt
Thomas Rauer
Rodolfo Gómez
Hans-Christoph Pape
Kajetana Bevc
Shipin Zhang
Andres Pazos-Perez
Ana Alonso-Perez
David Fercher
Sami Kauppinen
Tuomas Frondelius
Valentino Bruhin
Gian Salzmann
Mikko Arttu Jalmari Finnilä
Marcy Zenobi Wong
Goncalo Barreto
author_sort Kari K Eklund
collection DOAJ
description Objective To investigate the presence and bioactivity of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in synovial fluid (SF) of osteoarthritis (OA) patients and elucidate mechanisms modulating their inflammatory potential.Methods SF samples from 56 OA, 7 rheumatoid arthritis and 39 trauma patients were analysed for LPS concentration and bioactivity. Lipid A composition was assessed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In a rat model, LPS was administered systemically for 32 days to evaluate its impact on joint degeneration. The interaction between LPS and synovial proteins, particularly fibronectin (Fn), was examined through in vitro assays and a 3D synovial membrane model.Results LPS was detected in all SF samples with comparable concentrations and lipid A profiles across all groups. LC-MS measurements indicated higher LPS levels than those obtained from standard endotoxin assays, suggesting limitations in conventional detection methods. Despite elevated LPS presence, bioactivity assays revealed minimal proinflammatory responses, implying the existence of intrinsic SF factors neutralising LPS. In vivo, prolonged systemic LPS exposure did not induce OA-like changes in rat joints. Notably, LPS colocalised with Fn in the synovial membrane, and Fn binding attenuated LPS bioactivity and hindered its migration in vitro.Conclusions LPS is prevalent in SF across various joint conditions but exhibits low bioactivity, indicating it is not a primary driver of joint inflammation. Fn plays a crucial role in sequestering and neutralising LPS within the synovial environment, offering a protective mechanism against LPS-induced inflammation. These findings underscore the need for accurate LPS measurement techniques and suggest potential therapeutic targets for modulating joint inflammation.
format Article
id doaj-art-52f59fd245754e309af65f0fb5b40974
institution DOAJ
issn 2056-5933
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series RMD Open
spelling doaj-art-52f59fd245754e309af65f0fb5b409742025-08-20T03:17:52ZengBMJ Publishing GroupRMD Open2056-59332025-07-0111310.1136/rmdopen-2025-005622Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanismKari K Eklund0Caroline Ospelt1Thomas Rauer2Rodolfo Gómez3Hans-Christoph Pape4Kajetana Bevc5Shipin Zhang6Andres Pazos-Perez7Ana Alonso-Perez8David Fercher9Sami Kauppinen10Tuomas Frondelius11Valentino Bruhin12Gian Salzmann13Mikko Arttu Jalmari Finnilä14Marcy Zenobi Wong15Goncalo Barreto16Department of Rheumatology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, FinlandCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zürich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Traumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zürich, SwitzerlandUniversity Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainDepartment of Traumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zürich, SwitzerlandD-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zürich, SwitzerlandD-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zürich, SwitzerlandUniversity Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainUniversity Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainD-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zürich, SwitzerlandResearch Group of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, FinlandResearch Group of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, FinlandSchulthess Klinik, Zürich, SwitzerlandSchulthess Klinik, Zürich, SwitzerlandResearch Group of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, FinlandD-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zürich, SwitzerlandClinicum, University of Helsinki Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, FinlandObjective To investigate the presence and bioactivity of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in synovial fluid (SF) of osteoarthritis (OA) patients and elucidate mechanisms modulating their inflammatory potential.Methods SF samples from 56 OA, 7 rheumatoid arthritis and 39 trauma patients were analysed for LPS concentration and bioactivity. Lipid A composition was assessed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In a rat model, LPS was administered systemically for 32 days to evaluate its impact on joint degeneration. The interaction between LPS and synovial proteins, particularly fibronectin (Fn), was examined through in vitro assays and a 3D synovial membrane model.Results LPS was detected in all SF samples with comparable concentrations and lipid A profiles across all groups. LC-MS measurements indicated higher LPS levels than those obtained from standard endotoxin assays, suggesting limitations in conventional detection methods. Despite elevated LPS presence, bioactivity assays revealed minimal proinflammatory responses, implying the existence of intrinsic SF factors neutralising LPS. In vivo, prolonged systemic LPS exposure did not induce OA-like changes in rat joints. Notably, LPS colocalised with Fn in the synovial membrane, and Fn binding attenuated LPS bioactivity and hindered its migration in vitro.Conclusions LPS is prevalent in SF across various joint conditions but exhibits low bioactivity, indicating it is not a primary driver of joint inflammation. Fn plays a crucial role in sequestering and neutralising LPS within the synovial environment, offering a protective mechanism against LPS-induced inflammation. These findings underscore the need for accurate LPS measurement techniques and suggest potential therapeutic targets for modulating joint inflammation.https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/11/3/e005622.full
spellingShingle Kari K Eklund
Caroline Ospelt
Thomas Rauer
Rodolfo Gómez
Hans-Christoph Pape
Kajetana Bevc
Shipin Zhang
Andres Pazos-Perez
Ana Alonso-Perez
David Fercher
Sami Kauppinen
Tuomas Frondelius
Valentino Bruhin
Gian Salzmann
Mikko Arttu Jalmari Finnilä
Marcy Zenobi Wong
Goncalo Barreto
Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism
RMD Open
title Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism
title_full Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism
title_fullStr Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism
title_short Evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint: fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism
title_sort evaluating the role of lipopolysaccharides in the joint fibronectin as a novel protective mechanism
url https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/11/3/e005622.full
work_keys_str_mv AT karikeklund evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT carolineospelt evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT thomasrauer evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT rodolfogomez evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT hanschristophpape evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT kajetanabevc evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT shipinzhang evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT andrespazosperez evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT anaalonsoperez evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT davidfercher evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT samikauppinen evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT tuomasfrondelius evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT valentinobruhin evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT giansalzmann evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT mikkoarttujalmarifinnila evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT marcyzenobiwong evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism
AT goncalobarreto evaluatingtheroleoflipopolysaccharidesinthejointfibronectinasanovelprotectivemechanism