What This Means
This research suggests that it is possible to measure how quickly a person's musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, and joints) is aging using a blood test that looks at 39 specific proteins. The researchers built two 'biological clocks' called MSKAge and MSKAgeMort using blood protein data from over 21,000 people in the UK Biobank. These clocks estimate a person's musculoskeletal biological age, and the difference between this biological age and their actual chronological age (called acceleration) can indicate whether their musculoskeletal system is aging faster or slower than expected. The more advanced clock, MSKAgeMort, was strongly correlated with chronological age (correlations of 0.88–0.93) and was able to predict who was more likely to develop conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and low back pain, as well as who had higher overall mortality risk.
The study also investigated what drives accelerated musculoskeletal aging. On the environmental side, exposure to pollutants, poor mental health, and unhealthy lifestyle choices were all linked to faster musculoskeletal aging. On the genetic side, the researchers found 13 genetic variants and 71 genes that appear to influence musculoskeletal aging speed, many of which are involved in epigenetic regulation (how genes are switched on and off) and how cells interact with their surrounding environment. Additionally, using a drug repurposing approach, zinc was flagged as a potential treatment candidate for musculoskeletal diseases.
This research matters because musculoskeletal conditions are among the most common causes of disability worldwide, and identifying people at risk earlier could allow for preventive action. The biological clocks developed here could theoretically help stratify individuals by their risk of musculoskeletal decline, and the identification of modifiable environmental factors (like lifestyle and pollutant exposure) suggests potential targets for intervention. The finding that zinc may be relevant to musculoskeletal health also opens a relatively accessible avenue for further investigation.