A single intraarticular injection of the Phlpp inhibitor NSC117079 attenuates mechanical allodynia and slows articular cartilage degradation in joints with a destabilized meniscus. Animals treated with the Phlpp inhibitor seven weeks after injury maintain normal activity levels, while those in the control group travel shorter distances and are less active three months after the joint injury. NSC117079 also increases production of cartilage extracellular matrix components (glycosaminoglycans and aggrecan) in over 90% of human articular cartilage explants from osteoarthritis patients and increased phosphorylation of Phlpp1 substrates (AKT2, ERK1/2 and PKC) in human articular chondrocytes[1].
