New Discovery May Help Reverse Joint Damage And Treat Osteoarthritis

In a promising breakthrough, scientists at Stanford University have identified a key protein linked to cartilage loss during aging, offering hope for new treatments for osteoarthritis.

The study, conducted on mice, found that a protein called 15-PGDH, which increases with age and disrupts tissue repair and inflammation control, may be responsible for joint degeneration.

Osteoarthritis, a common condition where cartilage breaks down and causes joint pain and stiffness, could potentially be treated by targeting this protein. Researchers tested a 15-PGDH inhibitor on older mice with damaged knee cartilage and observed cartilage thickening after treatment. In young mice with joint injuries, the inhibitor prevented the typical development of osteoarthritis symptoms.

The study also revealed that blocking 15-PGDH helped activate the body's own chondrocyte cells, responsible for maintaining cartilage, without relying on stem cell therapy. This makes the approach less invasive and potentially more effective.

"This is a new way of regenerating adult tissue, and it has significant clinical promise for treating arthritis due to aging or injury," said Helen Blau, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology. "We were looking for stem cells, but they are clearly not involved. It's very exciting."

Blau, who directs the Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology and is the Donald E and Delia B Baxter Foundation Professor, and Nidhi Bhutani, PhD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, are the senior authors of the research, which was published online November 27 in Science. 

"Millions of people suffer from joint pain and swelling as they age," Bhutani said. "It is a huge unmet medical need. Until now, there has been no drug that directly treats the cause of cartilage loss. But this gerozyme inhibitor causes a dramatic regeneration of cartilage beyond that reported in response to any other drug or intervention."

While the research is still in early stages, scientists are optimistic that these findings could eventually lead to human treatments, restoring mobility and reducing pain in aging populations.