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A kind of protein implicated in Alzheimer’s disease might also contribute to the breakdown of cartilage that’s characteristic of osteoarthritis. 

In a new study, published in Science Translational Medicine on Wednesday, researchers analyzed tissue samples and joint fluid from 12 people, both those with osteoarthritis and healthy controls. They found those with osteoarthritis in their knee had a fourfold increase in apolipoprotein E, or APOE.

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Despite being common, the how of osteoarthritis has mostly eluded scientists. The new research offers a novel idea with an unlikely protein.

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