Stanford Medicine researchers develop injection to regenerate joint cartilage

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed a method to regenerate lost joint cartilage using a single injection that blocks an aging enzyme. The treatment targets 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), an enzyme that increases with age and breaks down Prostaglandin E2, a messenger essential for the body's natural repair processes.

In studies involving mice, inhibiting this enzyme allowed for the regrowth of resilient hyaline cartilage. In cases of knee injuries similar to a torn cruciate ligament, the medication prevented the onset of osteoarthritis in 50 percent of subjects. The regeneration process appears to work by rejuvenating existing cartilage cells rather than relying on stem cells.

Clinical observations in humans facing knee surgery due to severe cartilage damage also showed the production of new, high-quality hyaline tissue, rather than the inferior fibrocartilage often seen in previous regenerative attempts.