Anti-Aging Drug Regrows Knee Cartilage in Major Breakthrough That Could End Knee Replacements
Good News Network••health
Key Points:
- A Stanford Medicine-led study found that blocking the protein 15-PGDH with an injection reverses cartilage loss in aged mice and prevents arthritis development after knee injuries, suggesting a potential new treatment for osteoarthritis.
- The treatment works by targeting 15-PGDH, a "gerozyme" that increases with age and contributes to tissue degeneration; inhibiting this protein promotes regeneration of functional hyaline cartilage by altering gene expression in existing chondrocytes rather than relying on stem cells.
- Human cartilage samples from knee replacement surgeries responded positively to the 15-PGDH inhibitor, showing cartilage regeneration and reduced degradation, indicating the therapy might one day eliminate the need for joint replacements.
- Osteoarthritis affects one in five adults in the U.S
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