Saed News: Researchers have discovered a protein linked to aging that may help treat osteoarthritis.
According to SAEDNEWS, citing Med Path, researchers at Stanford Medicine have achieved a major breakthrough in cartilage regeneration, showing that blocking an aging-related protein can reverse natural cartilage loss and prevent the progression of osteoarthritis in preclinical models.
The study, published in Science, offers new hope for treating degenerative joint disease.
The research focuses on 15-PGDH, a protein known as a “gerozyme” (aging enzyme) because its levels increase in the human body with age. This key regulator of aging contributes to tissue dysfunction across multiple organs.
When researchers injected aged mice with a small inhibitor molecule targeting 15-PGDH, they observed remarkable regeneration of knee cartilage that had significantly thinned and weakened due to aging.
Dr. Nidhi Botani, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and lead researcher, said millions of people suffer from joint pain and swelling as they age, and there is an unmet medical need in this area. She added that no drug previously existed that directly treated the root cause of cartilage degeneration, but this inhibitor led to cartilage regeneration beyond what has been reported with any other drug or intervention.
The treatment works by preventing the breakdown of Prostaglandin E2, a key molecule for tissue regeneration. Unlike stem-cell-based approaches, this method causes existing chondrocytes to change their gene expression patterns and adopt a more youthful state.
