Nose cartilage could provide relief for knee osteoarthritis

Cartilage cells from the nasal septum can help repair cartilage injuries in the knee and may counteract osteoarthritis inflammation in the knee.

Scientists are cultivating cartilage tissue from cells of the nasal septum to repair knee cartilage. They have successfully carried out clinical studies on damaged knees and now report that the approach could be suitable for degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis. The finding, published in Science Translational Medicine, is exciting because there are not currently many treatments for knee osteoarthritis.

From nose to knee

A tissue sample is taken from a patient’s nasal septum, and the cells are used to grow a cartilage layer that is implanted into the knee joint. The scientists have discovered that the engineered tissue is robust and seems to counteract inflammatory reactions in the knee. In depth trials on more people with osteoarthritis in other areas of the body will follow. Prof Ivan Martin who is involved in the works says the team’s results have “enabled us to lay the biological foundation for a therapy, and we are cautiously optimistic”. Interested in osteoarthritis? We’ve published all the latest findings here. Arthritis Digest Magazine is selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 5 Arthritis Blogs in 2020.

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