A new study indicates that nose cartilage cells used for knee injuries can help heal osteoarthritic knees and can help ease the pain in severe conditions.
A team of scientists at University of Basel, Switzerland, conducted a research indicating nose cartilage cells can be used for healing knee injuries and repair osteoarthritic knee. The potential of these cells may not end there. The research published in journal Science Translational Medicine also reveals that these engineered nose cartilage tissue may help ease the knee pain in severe condition of osteoarthritis. Nose cartilage cells having exceptional capabilities can be used for treatments for weakening joints as they can provide structural support to the deteriorating joints.
In a previously conducted study by the scientists, a graft was created using cartilage tissue from nasal septum which then was implanted in subject’s knee to replace articular cartilage. The graft was able to handle high mechanical load, yet using it on osteoarthritic knee was challenging. Since osteoarthritis generates continuous inflammation in joints, in this analysis, the scientists had to study the capability of these engineered cells to fight the inflammation and protect themselves from damage. To find the capability of this engineered cartilage, the team implanted it in lab models of osteoarthritis. The results were promising.
It was observed that the cartilage held up against mechanical stress and it was reducing inflammation throughout. After this successful experiment on animals, the team tested this technique on two patients using their nose cartilage cells and it proved to be reliable as the pain in both patients’ knee was reduced and it improved the quality of life. The scientists plan to conduct bigger trials to test the potential of the technology to use it in other types of osteoarthritis.