The early stages of progressive degeneration of cartilage in articular joints are a hallmark of osteoarthritis. Healthy cartilage is lubricated by brush-like cartilage-binding nanofibres with a hyaluronan backbone and two key side chains (lubricin and lipid). Here, we show that hyaluronan backbones grafted with lubricin-like sulfonate-rich polymers or with lipid-like phosphocholine-rich polymers together enhance cartilage regeneration in a rat model of early osteoarthritis. These biomimetic brush-like nanofibres show a high affinity for cartilage proteins, form a lubrication layer on the cartilage surface and efficiently lubricate damaged human cartilage, lowering its friction coefficient to the low levels typical of native cartilage. Intra-articular injection of the two types of nanofibre into rats with surgically induced osteoarthritic joints led to cartilage regeneration and to the abrogation of osteoarthritis within 8 weeks. Biocompatible injectable lubricants that facilitate cartilage regeneration may offer a translational strategy for the treatment of early osteoarthritis.

关节关节软骨进行性退化的早期阶段是骨关节炎的标志。健康的软骨由具有透明质酸骨架和两个关键侧链（润滑素和脂质）的刷状软骨结合纳米纤维润滑。在这里，我们展示了在早期骨关节炎的大鼠模型中，用类润滑素类富含磺酸盐的聚合物或类脂类富含磷酸胆碱的聚合物接枝的透明质酸骨架共同增强了软骨再生。这些仿生刷状纳米纤维对软骨蛋白表现出高亲和力，在软骨表面形成润滑层并有效润滑受损的人体软骨，将其摩擦系数降低到天然软骨典型的低水平。将两种类型的纳米纤维关节内注射到具有手术诱导的骨关节炎关节的大鼠中，导致软骨再生并在 8 周内消除骨关节炎。促进软骨再生的生物相容性可注射润滑剂可能为治疗早期骨关节炎提供一种转化策略。