Stanford Medicine Study in Science Reveals Cartilage Regeneration by Targeting Aging Protein

Published 2026-01-21

A team of researchers at Stanford Medicine has reported in the journal Science that inhibiting the aging-linked enzyme 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) can promote significant regeneration of articular cartilage and prevent osteoarthritis in preclinical models, with systemic and local application of a small-molecule inhibitor leading to restored, youthful cartilage in aged mouse joints and reduced post-injury degeneration, and human osteoarthritic cartilage samples showing renewed extracellular matrix formation in vitro; the peer-reviewed study, “Inhibition of 15-hydroxy prostaglandin dehydrogenase promotes cartilage regeneration,” was published online ahead of print in Science (DOI:?10.1126/science.adx6649) and represents a promising regenerative approach for one of the world’s most prevalent degenerative joint diseases.