Local and Systemic Peptide Therapies for Soft Tissue Regeneration: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical science
• Pharmacology
• Regenerative medicine

Background:

• Musculoskeletal joint pain stems from conditions like arthritis and soft tissue injury.
• Peptide therapy offers a safe, minimally invasive approach to treating joint pain and inflammation.
• This therapy aims to provide therapeutic benefits for joint conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review literature on oral and intra-articular peptide agents for soft tissue regeneration.
• To assess the route of administration (RoA) for peptide drug delivery in human trials.
• To evaluate the potential of peptides in treating joint pain and promoting healing.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a comprehensive literature search using PubMed.
• Utilized Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) for peptide therapy, soft tissue regeneration, and RoA.
• Included articles on peptide mechanisms, clinical outcomes, and reviews, excluding insufficient or low-evidence studies.

Main Results:

• Identified multiple peptides effective in soft tissue repair.
• Oral peptides provide systemic benefits, while intra-articular peptides offer localized effects for regeneration.
• Both administration routes face challenges with bioavailability and absorption.

Conclusions:

• Peptide treatments are emerging as promising alternatives to surgery for soft tissue regeneration.
• Intra-articular and oral peptides demonstrate distinct advantages in promoting tissue repair.
• Further research is essential to fully understand and utilize emerging peptide therapies.