title: Cell and molecular biology of intervertebral disc degeneration: current understanding and implications for potential therapeutic strategies.
abstract: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a chronic, complex process associated with low back pain; mechanisms of its occurrence have not yet been fully elucidated. Its process is not only accompanied by morphological changes, but also by systematic changes in its histological and biochemical properties. Many cellular and molecular mechanisms have been reported to be related with IDD and to reverse degenerative trends, abnormal conditions of the living cells and altered cell phenotypes would need to be restored. Promising biological therapeutic strategies still rely on injection of active substances, gene therapy and cell transplantation. With advanced study of tissue engineering protocols based on cell therapy, combined use of seeding cells, bio-active substances and bio-compatible materials, are promising for IDD regeneration. Recently reported progenitor cells within discs themselves also hold prospects for future IDD studies. This article describes the background of IDD, current understanding and implications of potential therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China.
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Rui
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000473:pathology; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D011509:Proteoglycans
references.citation: Bone. 1996 Apr;18(4):295-9
references.pmid: 8726384
references.citation: Bone. 2000 May;26(5):423-7
references.pmid: 10773580
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 Apr 1;32(7):816-23
references.pmid: 17414918
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 Nov 1;32(23):2537-44
references.pmid: 17978651
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000 Feb 15;25(4):487-92
references.pmid: 10707396
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004 Apr 15;29(8):838-44
references.pmid: 15082981
references.citation: Spine J. 2006 Nov-Dec;6(6):692-703
references.pmid: 17088200
references.citation: Arthritis Res Ther. 2009;11(6):R166
references.pmid: 19889209
references.citation: FEBS Lett. 2011 Apr 20;585(8):1209-15
references.pmid: 21420963
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 Aug 15;31(18):2151-61
references.pmid: 16915105
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Aug 1;28(15 Suppl):S93-8
references.pmid: 12897481
references.citation: Ann Rheum Dis. 1999 Jun;58(6):357-65
references.pmid: 10340960
references.citation: Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2005 Jan;(430):219-26
references.pmid: 15662327
references.citation: J Biosci Bioeng. 2009 Jul;108(1):63-7
references.pmid: 19577195
references.citation: J Orthop Res. 2001 Jul;19(4):597-604
references.pmid: 11518268
references.citation: J Anat. 2000 Aug;197 ( Pt 2):189-98
references.pmid: 11005711
references.citation: Eur Spine J. 2008 Feb;17(2):314-24
references.pmid: 17972112
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 Nov 1;32(23):2596-603
references.pmid: 17978660
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Jan 1;30(1):25-31; discussion 31-2
references.pmid: 15626976
references.citation: Tissue Eng. 2007 Jan;13(1):147-58
references.pmid: 17518588
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010 Mar;92(3):675-85
references.pmid: 20194326
references.citation: J Anat. 2001 Jan;198(Pt 1):3-15
references.pmid: 11215765
references.citation: Regen Med. 2010 Sep;5(5):701-11
references.pmid: 20868326
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Dec 1;28(23):2609-20
references.pmid: 14652478
references.citation: Mil Med. 2011 Nov;176(11):1320-4
references.pmid: 22165663
references.citation: J Orthop Res. 2002 Mar;20(2):257-66
references.pmid: 11918305
references.citation: Nat Genet. 2005 Jun;37(6):607-12
references.pmid: 15864306
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 Apr 1;31(7):742-54
references.pmid: 16582847
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Nov 1;30(21):2379-87
references.pmid: 16261113
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1998 Apr 1;23(7):751-7
references.pmid: 9563104
references.citation: J Anat. 2003 Dec;203(6):605-12
references.pmid: 14686696
references.citation: Chin Med Sci J. 2007 Jun;22(2):113-8
references.pmid: 17763584
references.citation: Anat Rec. 1988 Apr;220(4):337-56
references.pmid: 3289416
references.citation: J Bone Miner Res. 2009 Sep;24(9):1537-43
references.pmid: 19338451
references.citation: J Mol Med (Berl). 2004 Feb;82(2):126-34
references.pmid: 14669002
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2010 Dec 15;35(26):2259-65
references.pmid: 20622750
references.citation: J Pathol. 2004 Sep;204(1):47-54
references.pmid: 15307137
references.citation: J Orthop Res. 1991 Jan;9(1):78-90
references.pmid: 1984052
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 Dec 1;32(25):2860-8
references.pmid: 18246009
references.citation: Arthritis Res Ther. 2012 Nov 05;14(6):R241
references.pmid: 23127251
references.citation: Eur Spine J. 2010 Oct;19(10):1761-70
references.pmid: 20372940
references.citation: Dis Model Mech. 2011 Jan;4(1):31-41
references.pmid: 21123625
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Apr 15;28(8):755-63
references.pmid: 12698117
references.citation: Spine J. 2009 Jan-Feb;9(1):47-59
references.pmid: 19111259
references.citation: BMC Med Genet. 2011 Nov 22;12:153
references.pmid: 22107760
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002 Jul 15;27(14):1526-30
references.pmid: 12131712
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009 Oct 1;34(21):2278-87
references.pmid: 19755937
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004 Jan 15;29(2):156-63
references.pmid: 14722406
references.citation: J Orthop Res. 1992 Sep;10(5):677-90
references.pmid: 1380073
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012 Mar 15;37(6):452-8
references.pmid: 22037529
references.citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Jul 25;372(2):367-72
references.pmid: 18492486
references.citation: Stem Cell Res Ther. 2010 Jun 16;1(2):18
references.pmid: 20565707
references.citation: Tissue Eng. 2003 Aug;9(4):667-77
references.pmid: 13678445
references.citation: Eur Spine J. 2006 Aug;15 Suppl 3:S326-32
references.pmid: 16736203
references.citation: Eur Spine J. 2006 May;15(5):588-96
references.pmid: 15980999
references.citation: Pain. 2007 Oct;131(3):272-280
references.pmid: 17335977
references.citation: J Pathol. 2005 Dec;207(4):445-52
references.pmid: 16278806
references.citation: Nat Commun. 2012;3:1264
references.pmid: 23232394
references.citation: Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2001 Aug;(389):94-101
references.pmid: 11501830
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010 May;92(5):1293-304
references.pmid: 20439681
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002 Oct 15;27(20):2220-8; discussion 2227-8
references.pmid: 12394897
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2001 Mar 15;26(6):618-21
references.pmid: 11246372
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1999 Nov;81(6):1058-63
references.pmid: 10615986
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002 Aug 1;27(15):1626-33
references.pmid: 12163723
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004 Dec 1;29(23):2700-9
references.pmid: 15564919
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Oct 15;28(20):2331-7
references.pmid: 14560079
references.citation: Arthritis Res Ther. 2007;9(3):R45
references.pmid: 17498290
references.citation: Spine J. 2008 Nov-Dec;8(6):888-96
references.pmid: 18082460
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008 Jul 15;33(16):1731-8
references.pmid: 18628705
references.citation: Apoptosis. 2011 Jun;16(6):594-605
references.pmid: 21479580
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008 Aug 1;33(17):1850-5
references.pmid: 18622355
references.citation: Eur Cell Mater. 2006 Nov 30;12:92-101
references.pmid: 17136680
references.citation: Kurume Med J. 1999;46(1):39-50
references.pmid: 10319612
references.citation: Spine J. 2008 Jan-Feb;8(1):8-20
references.pmid: 18164449
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1994 Jun 15;19(12):1310-9
references.pmid: 8066509
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Sep 1;30(17):1933-9
references.pmid: 16135982
references.citation: Transfus Med Hemother. 2013 Dec;40(6):432-40
references.pmid: 24474894
references.citation: Biochem Soc Trans. 2002 Nov;30(Pt 6):839-44
references.pmid: 12440929
references.citation: J Appl Biomater Funct Mater. 2012;10(3):177-84
references.pmid: 23242873
references.citation: Tissue Eng Part A. 2009 Dec;15(12):3719-27
references.pmid: 19514846
references.citation: Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Jun;21(3):403-25
references.pmid: 17602991
references.citation: Evid Based Spine Care J. 2011 Nov;2(4):13-8
references.pmid: 23230401
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2006 Apr;88 Suppl 2:3-9
references.pmid: 16595435
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2008 Oct;90(10):1261-70
references.pmid: 18827232
references.citation: J Orthop Sci. 2001;6(6):510-8
references.pmid: 11793173
references.citation: Orthop Clin North Am. 1991 Apr;22(2):181-7
references.pmid: 1826546
references.citation: Rheumatology (Oxford). 2009 Jan;48(1):5-10
references.pmid: 18854342
references.citation: J Orthop Res. 2006 Sep;24(9):1906-15
references.pmid: 16865712
references.citation: Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Dec;54(12):3859-67
references.pmid: 17136753
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 Dec 1;31(25):2909-17
references.pmid: 17139221
references.citation: Dev Dyn. 2008 Dec;237(12):3953-8
references.pmid: 19035356
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2006 Apr;88 Suppl 2:52-7
references.pmid: 16595444
references.citation: Spine J. 2005 Nov-Dec;5(6 Suppl):267S-279S
references.pmid: 16291123
references.citation: J Biomech. 2008;41(9):1953-60
references.pmid: 18501361
references.citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014 Apr 18;446(4):876-81
references.pmid: 24631904
references.citation: Edinb Med J. 1953 Aug;60(8):341-64
references.pmid: 13083579
references.citation: Biochem J. 1976 Jul 1;157(1):267-70
references.pmid: 962859
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 Apr 15;31(8):873-82; discussion 883
references.pmid: 16622374
references.citation: Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2012 Aug;26(8):977-83
references.pmid: 23012935
references.citation: BMC Clin Pathol. 2006 May 23;6:5
references.pmid: 16719914
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 May 1;31(10):1094-9
references.pmid: 16648742
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002 Dec 1;27(23):2631-44
references.pmid: 12461389
references.citation: Acta Biomater. 2013 Dec;9(12):9423-33
references.pmid: 23973308
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Jun 1;30(11):1247-51
references.pmid: 15928547
references.citation: Connect Tissue Res. 1989;23(1):75-88
references.pmid: 2632144
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 May 15;32(11):1197-205
references.pmid: 17495776
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004 Jun 1;29(11):1266-70
references.pmid: 15167667