*Stanford researchers say an experimental treatment restored cartilage in aging mice and showed promising results in human tissue samples, raising hopes for a future therapy that could help address osteoarthritis.
The treatment targets a protein called 15-PGDH, which increases with age and contributes to declining tissue function. When researchers blocked the protein, older mice began regenerating healthy cartilage in their joints, Science Daily reports.
The findings also challenged a long-held assumption about cartilage repair. Rather than relying on stem cells, the treatment appeared to reprogram existing cartilage-producing cells, known as chondrocytes, shifting them toward a younger and healthier state.
Researchers found that mice treated with the therapy developed thicker, healthier cartilage across damaged joints. The regenerated tissue included hyaline cartilage, the type that cushions joints and helps them move smoothly.
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The team also tested the treatment in mice with ACL-type injuries, which often lead to osteoarthritis. Treated animals were significantly less likely to develop the disease and showed improved movement compared with untreated mice.
Researchers then examined cartilage collected during knee replacement surgeries. After one week of treatment in the laboratory, the human tissue samples showed signs of new cartilage growth and reduced activity in cells linked to cartilage breakdown. The results suggest that aging cartilage may retain a greater ability to repair itself than previously understood.
Osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans and remains one of the leading causes of joint pain and disability. Current treatments focus primarily on relieving symptoms or replacing damaged joints. No approved medication can reverse cartilage loss or stop the disease from progressing.
Researchers cautioned that the findings remain preliminary. Although the treatment produced encouraging results in mice and human tissue samples, scientists still need to test the approach in people.
An oral version of the therapy is already undergoing clinical trials for age-related muscle weakness. Researchers hope future studies will determine whether the same strategy can regenerate cartilage and potentially reduce the need for knee and hip replacement surgeries.
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