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Front Cell Dev Biol 2021 7;9:675486. Epub 2021 Jun 7.

Spine Center, The Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China.

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells accelerate the process of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Here, we integrated pathological samples and and framework to investigate the impact of phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF2α)/activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)/Indian hedgehog (Ihh) signaling in the IDD. From the specimen analysis of the IDD patients, we found phosphorylated eIF2α (p-eIF2α), ATF4 and Ihh protein levels were positively related while the NP tissue went degenerative. Read More

Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021 7;9:685799. Epub 2021 Jun 7.

Berkeley Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States.

A comprehensive understanding of multiscale and multiphasic intervertebral disc mechanics is crucial for designing advanced tissue engineered structures aiming to recapitulate native tissue behavior. The bovine caudal disc is a commonly used human disc analog due to its availability, large disc height and area, and similarities in biochemical and mechanical properties to the human disc. Because of challenges in directly measuring subtissue-level mechanics, such as fiber mechanics, finite element models have been widely employed in spinal biomechanics research. Read More

Expert Rev Med Devices 2021 Jun 23. Epub 2021 Jun 23.

2210 Jackson Street, Suite 401, San Francisco, CA 94115.

Introduction: Interbody fusion devices are customarily used in fusion of the anterior spinal column for treatment of degenerative disc disease. Their traditional role is to reestablish and maintain intervertebral disc height, contain bone graft and provide mechanical support for the spine while osseointegration takes place. Utilizing the principles of mechanobiology, a unique biokinetic interbody fusion device has been developed that employs an advanced structural design to facilitate and actively participate in the fusion consolidation process. Read More

Eur Cell Mater 2021 Jun 24;41:793-810. Epub 2021 Jun 24.

With aging and pathology, cells of the nucleus pulposus (NP) de-differentiate towards a fibroblast-like phenotype, a change that contributes to degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD). Laminin isoforms are a component of the NP extracellular matrix during development but largely disappear in the adult NP tissue. Exposing human adult NP cells to hydrogels made from PEGylated-laminin-111 (PEGLM) has been shown to regulate NP cell behaviors and promote cells to assume a biosynthetically active state with gene/protein expression and morphology consistent with those observed in juvenile NP cells. Read More

Med Eng Phys 2021 Jul 24;93:17-26. Epub 2021 May 24.

Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave West, Waterloo N2L3C5, ON Canada; Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave West, Waterloo N2L3C5, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Intervertebral disc degeneration poses a considerable healthcare challenge, although the process is not well understood. Endplate fracture marks severe biomechanical compromise in a segment and may be correlated with degeneration of the disc. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the relationship between endplate fracture velocity and damage to the annulus fibrosus. Read More

Cytotechnology 2021 Jun 15;73(3):447-456. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Spine Research Center of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China.

Low back pain caused by intervertebral disc degeneration has become a global problem that seriously affects public health. The application of nucleus pulposus tissue engineering to disc degeneration has attracted increasing attention. A scaffold is important for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering, which provides a three-dimensional growth space with an appropriate biomechanical and biochemical microenvironment for seed cell differentiation and proliferation. Read More

Mol Cell Biochem 2021 Jun 19. Epub 2021 Jun 19.

Department of Orthopedic, Baoding No. 1 Central Hospital, No. 320 North Changcheng Avenue, Baoding, 071000, China.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a natural problem linked to the inflammation. Higenamine exerts multiple pharmacological properties in inflammation-related disorders. Our study aimed to explore the function of higenamine on interleukin (IL)-1β-caused apoptosis of human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs). Read More

World J Clin Cases 2021 Jun;9(16):3869-3879

Department of Orthopedics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.

Background: Dynamic cervical implant (DCI) stabilization has been reported to have satisfactory clinical and radiological results with short- and mid-term follow-up in the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease. However, few reports about the clinical and radiological outcome with more than 5-year follow-up exist.

Aim: To investigate the long-term clinical and radiological results of DCI arthroplasty. Read More

Ageing Res Rev 2021 Jun 15;70:101394. Epub 2021 Jun 15.

Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. Electronic address:

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a common degenerative disease of the musculoskeletal system that develops with age. It is regarded as the main cause of chronic low back pain in the elderly. IDD has various causes, including ageing, mechanical overloading, and nutritional deficiency. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021 27;2021:5542241. Epub 2021 May 27.

Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China 266003.

Objective: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the top three causes of disability in developed countries, and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a major contributor to LBP. In the process of IDD, there is a gradual decrease in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and extracellular matrix (ECM). Exosomes are important exocrine mediators of stem cells that can act directly on cells for tissue repair and regeneration. Read More

Eur Cell Mater 2021 Jun 15;41:707-738. Epub 2021 Jun 15.

Tissue Engineering for Orthopaedics and Mechanobiology (TOM), Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR) of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Bern, University of Bern, Bern,

The intervertebral disc (IVD) is a complex tissue, and its degeneration remains a problem for patients, without significant improvement in treatment strategies. This mostly age-related disease predominantly affects the nucleus pulposus (NP), the central region of the IVD. The NP tissue, and especially its microenvironment, exhibit changes that may be involved at the outset or affect the progression of IVD pathology. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2021 Jun 14;22(1):543. Epub 2021 Jun 14.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guo Xue Xiang Rd, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.

Background: The effects of postoperative intervertebral height (IH) changes on the clinical and radiological outcomes after anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) surgery using a zero-profile device remain unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who had undergone ACDF using a zero-profile device from March 2012 to February 2016 at our institution. Based on the postoperative IH variation, the patients were divided into group A with postoperative IH 0 to 2 mm, group B with postoperative IH 2 to 4 mm, and group C with postoperative IH greater than 4 mm. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2021 Jun 8;207:106755. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Neurosurgery, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA; Department of Political Science, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Spaceflight places astronauts in multiple environments capable of inducing pathological changes. Alterations in the spine have a significant impact on astronauts' health during and after spaceflight. Low back pain is an established and common intra-flight complaint. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021 25;2021:5556122. Epub 2021 May 25.

Orthopedic Institute, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.

Objective: Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a water-soluble derivative of tanshinone IIA, a representative traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of the study was to investigate the capability of STS to reverse injury-induced intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and explore the potential mechanisms.

Methods: Forty adult rats were randomly allocated into groups (control, IDD, STS10, and STS20). Read More

Front Immunol 2021 27;12:666355. Epub 2021 May 27.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and its inflammatory microenvironment ultimately led to discogenic pain, which is thought to originate in the nucleus pulposus (NP). In this study, key genes involved in NP tissue immune infiltration in lumbar disc herniation (LDH) were identified by bioinformatic analysis. Gene expression profiles were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Read More

Spine J 2021 Jun 9. Epub 2021 Jun 9.

Department of Physiology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Background Context: Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders. While the pathology of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration has been modeled using various biological methods, these models are inadequate for simulating similar pathological states in humans.

Purpose: This study investigated whether monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) injection into the IVD of rats could generate a reliable model of IVD degeneration. Read More

Spine J 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0G1, Canada; Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0G1, Canada; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan, 260-8677; Faculty of Medicine, Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Anesthesiology and Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0G1, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA. Electronic address:

Background Context: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a multifactorial disorder with complex underlying mechanisms, including associations with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration in some individuals. It has been demonstrated that epigenetic processes are involved in the pathology of IVD degeneration. Epigenetics refers to several mechanisms, including DNA methylation, that have the ability to change gene expression without inducing any change in the underlying DNA sequence. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Jun;100(23):e26310

Instituto de Columna Newro Spine.

Abstract: Cohort study.This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the universal approach of full endoscopy and percutaneous transpedicular fixation via a medial central approach (ACM) performed to surgically treat patients with lumbar degenerative surgical pathologies.Alternatives to interventionist treatments available to patients with lumbar degenerative surgical pathologies are related to recovery from minimally invasive surgery. Read More

Eur Spine J 2021 Jun 10. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1450 San Pablo St, HC4 - #5400A, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyse the trends and patterns of IVD degeneration in different age groups at each level of the thoracic spine.

Methods: This cross-sectional MRI study included 1000 symptomatic patients who had undergone upright thoracic spine MRI. A total of 13,000 thoracic IVDs from C7/T1 to T12/L1 were classified into five grades using Pfirrmann classification. Read More

Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021 Jun 7;566:16-23. Epub 2021 Jun 7.

Departments of Spine Surgery and Sports Medicine, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Xiuying, Haikou, Hainan, 570311, PR China. Electronic address:

With the aggravation of global aging, the rapid rise in the obesity rate, and the increasing number of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), the principles and mechanism of this disease remain unclear. This study explored the molecular mechanism of IDD treatment through interactions of the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA-signaling pathways and the effects on the proliferation and apoptosis of human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs) cultured in vitro. Our study revealed that lncRNA JPX is expressed at low levels in HNPCs under normoxic conditions. Read More

J Orthop Surg Res 2021 Jun 9;16(1):368. Epub 2021 Jun 9.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hebei Medical University, 361 Zhongshan E Rd, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, People's Republic of China.

Background: Adjacent segmental intervertebral disk degeneration (ASDD) is a major complication secondary to lumbar fusion. Although ASSD pathogenesis remains unclear, the primary cause of intervertebral disk degeneration (IVDD) development is apoptosis of nucleus pulposus (NP). Raloxifene (RAL) could delay ASDD by inhibiting NP apoptosis. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2021 18;2021:2545459. Epub 2021 May 18.

Department of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, No. 406, Jiefangnan Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300211, China.

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) disease is a global challenge because of its predominant pathogenic factor in triggering low back pain, whereas cartilaginous endplate degeneration (CEPD) is the main cause of IDD. Accumulating evidence have indicated that the differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) have been determined to be involved in multiple biological processes to mediate CEPD progression. However, the differentially expressed circular RNAs (DECs) and their potential biofunctions in CEPD have not been identified. Read More

Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc 2021 May;55(3):246-252

Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Surgery Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the alterations in levels of pro-inflammatory and catabolic mediators following vertebral fusion in a rabbit model of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Methods: In this study, 24 female New Zealand albino rabbits (aged 4 to 5 months and weighing 3 to 3.5 kg) were used. Read More

J Int Med Res 2021 Jun;49(6):3000605211020636

Department of Massage, Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.

To date, only a few reports have described the regression of lumbar disc herniation, which may be because of a failure to follow up patients treated conservatively. We report a case of a 25-year-old man who presented with a 2-month history of pain and soreness owing to lumbar disc herniation. He was managed conservatively, and his presenting symptoms and scoliosis gradually decreased over approximately 5 months. Read More

World Neurosurg 2021 Jun 16. Epub 2021 Jun 16.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.

Objective: Few studies have examined a possible correlation between cervical disc degeneration and disc height. The aim of this study was to establish age-related changes and sex-specific differences of cervical disc height using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to evaluate the relationship between degree of cervical disc degeneration and disc height in asymptomatic subjects.

Methods: We measured the intervertebral disc anteroposterior diameter and disc height in each disc level using MRI in 1211 relatively healthy volunteers (606 men and 605 women, mean age 49. Read More

Cell J 2021 Jul 26;23(2):218-224. Epub 2021 May 26.

Clinical Medical College, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, Shandong, China.

Objective: The present study aimed to screen the differentially expressed (DE) circular RNAs (circ-RNAs) between lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) and normal tissues.

Materials And Methods: In this experimental study, microarray hybridization was performed to evaluate circ-RNA expression, and the DE circ-RNAs were confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Host genes of DE circ-RNAs were predicted, and their functions were evaluated. Read More

J Orthop Translat 2021 Jul 15;29:19-29. Epub 2021 May 15.

Department of Spine Surgery, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.

Background: Krüppel like factor 10 (KLF10), which is also known as TGF-β Inducible Early Gene-1 (TIEG1), plays a crucial role in regulating cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and inflammatory reaction in human carcinoma cells. Moreover, KLF10 knockout in mice leads to severe defects associated with muscle, skeleton and heart etc. However, the function of KLF10 in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) has not been reported yet. Read More

Clin Orthop Surg 2021 Jun 18;13(2):127-134. Epub 2021 May 18.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.

Leg length discrepancy (LLD) is an underrecognized and prevalent condition among the U.S. population, with effects varying depending on the cause and size of the discrepancy. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021 14;2021:6681815. Epub 2021 May 14.

Henan Luoyang Orthopedic Hospital (Henan Provincial Orthopedic Hospital), Henan Provincial Orthopedic Institute, Zhengzhou 450000, China.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are thought to have a strong correlation with a number of intervertebral disc (IVD) diseases. Here, we aimed to determine whether ROS represent an etiology of low back pain (LBP) during IVD degeneration. Thirty degenerated intervertebral disc samples were obtained from patients, and ROS levels were quantified using dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. Read More

J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil 2021 Jun 4. Epub 2021 Jun 4.

Graduate School of Health and Sport Sciences, Chukyo University, Aichi, Japan.

Background: The lower back is the most common injury location in pole vaulters, but the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis and intervertebral disc degeneration is not known.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis and intervertebral disc degeneration in pole vaulters.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Tokai area of Japan and included 21 pole vaulters (mean ± standard deviation [range]: age, 22. Read More