title: A new in vivo method to retard progression of intervertebral disc degeneration through stimulation of endogenous stem cells with simvastatin.
abstract: Degenerative disc disease is a worldwide problem, however, conservative treatment and surgical treatment can only partly relieve symptoms, but do not have therapeutic effect on the degenerated intervertebral disc (IVD) itself. The use of stem cell transplantation has become one of the most popular treatments. With gradually understanding of the endogenous mechanism of stem cells migration and movement in vivo, endogenous IVD stem cells can be activated to repair and reconstruct the degenerated IVD. Nucleus pulposus mensenchymal stem cells exhibit more potent biological activity in the hypoxic environment of the IVD. Hypoxia inducible factor can regulate the energy metabolism of IVD cells by activating Glucose transporter 1 pathway. The simvastatin can enhance the theraprutic effect of many kinds of stem cells by increasing number and function of the stem cell. Herein we postulate that simvastatin can regulate the differentiation of nucleus pulposus mensenchymal stem cells into nucleus pulposus cell by promoting expression of hypoxia inducible factor to repair and reconstruct degenerated IVD.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, Jiangsu Province, China; Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou 225001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Zenan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou 225001, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: zhangliang6320@sina.com.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou 225001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xinmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou 225001, Jiangsu Province, China; Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, Jiangsu Province, China; Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou 225001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Songchao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018450:Disease Progression; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000628:therapy*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D019821:Simvastatin
keywords: Endogenous; Intervertebral disc degeneration; Statin; Stem cell