{
  "abstract": "Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for end-stage knee osteoarthritis (KOA) shows inconsistent efficacy, and whether MSCs retain cartilage repair capacity in the inflammatory joint remains unclear. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of human Kellgren-Lawrence grade (G ) and (G ) KOA joint tissues and exogenous MSCs, we found that pleiotrophin (PTN) signalling shifts from MSC-chondrocyte crosstalk to chondrocyte-dominated autocrine signalling, with PTN exhaustion and elevated cluster of differentiation 74 (CD74) in G cartilage. We therefore identified and sorted a PTN-rich CD74-low placenta-derived MSC subtype and evaluated it in a murine KOA model and in co-culture with patient-derived chondrocytes. This subtype enhanced cartilage repair, upregulated SOX9, and suppressed MMP13, CD74, IL-6, and IL-1{beta}, potentially through CD74 suppression and reduced NF-{kappa}B signaling. These findings provide a basis for functionally defined, stage-matched cell therapy tailored to the pathological microenvironment of end-stage KOA.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Shandong First Medical University"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 17,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Z. Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Yin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "F. Zhao"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Chu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Z. Zhou"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Fan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Z. Yuan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y. Zhang"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. Yu"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Sun"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Shi"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Han"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Y. Zhao"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9252d3a6sryth.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.11.06.764540",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.764540v1.full",
  "id": "9252d3a6sryth",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.764540v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "cell biology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.764540v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-06",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9252d3a6sryth.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-10T00:23:15Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.11.06.764540",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.764540v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A PTN-Rich MSC Subtype Promotes Cartilage Repair in End-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis",
  "title_text": "A PTN-Rich MSC Subtype Promotes Cartilage Repair in End-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T00:23:15Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9252d3a6sryth",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}