Recent research published in Pharmacological Research demonstrates that small extracellular vesicles derived from embryonic stem cells (ESC-sEVs) can alleviate osteoarthritis in both human cells and mouse models.

In a mouse model of surgically induced long-lasting osteoarthritis, treatment with ESC-sEVs resulted in reduced cellular senescence and some regrowth of cartilage, although the cartilage did not fully return to baseline levels.

The ESC-sEV treatment also showed benefits in naturally aged mice, improving cartilage health and function, though not to the extent observed in younger mice.

In laboratory settings, human chondrocytes exposed to the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factor IL-1β demonstrated significantly reduced levels of senescence and restored extracellular matrix production after treatment with ESC-sEVs.

The accumulation of senescent cells in cartilage is detrimental to tissue health and contributes to osteoarthritis, primarily due to the overproduction of SASP factors.

While senolytic therapies that kill senescent cells may not be beneficial due to the necessity of some senescent cells for cartilage regeneration, a senotherapeutic approach is suggested as more effective.

Direct administration of embryonic stem cells carries risks, such as teratoma growth, but ESC-sEVs appear to support cell function and may help mitigate the effects of aging-related cellular senescence.

The treatment with ESC-sEVs led to positive changes in FOXO-related gene expression, which is crucial for maintaining cartilage health, although the results varied among specific FOXO genes.

Despite the promising results, the treatment requires prolonged administration and does not fully restore cartilage, indicating a need for further research and clinical trials.