Eicosapentaenoic Acid-Induced Autophagy Attenuates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Suppressing Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Extracellular Matrix Degradation and Apoptosis: An in vivo and in vitro Experiment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Lin ◽  
Libin Ni ◽  
Cheng Teng ◽  
Zhao Zhang ◽  
Long Wu ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 10864-10875
Author(s):  
Zhenxuan Shao ◽  
Jiajie Lu ◽  
Chenxi Zhang ◽  
Guoling Zeng ◽  
Boda Chen ◽  
...  

Stachydrine ameliorates inflammatory responses and extracellular matrix degradation, via the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signalling pathway in the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration.


Author(s):  
Zhen Lin ◽  
Libin Ni ◽  
Cheng Teng ◽  
Zhao Zhang ◽  
Long Wu ◽  
...  

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a major cause of low back pain (LBP), but there is still a lack of effective therapy. Multiple studies have reported that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation exert an enormous function on the occurrence and development of IDD. Autophagy can effectively repair ER stress and maintain ECM homeostasis. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) can specifically induce autophagy. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that EPA can promote autophagy, reduce ECM degradation and ER stress in vitro, thereby reducing cell apoptosis, and the protective effects of EPA in an IDD-rat model in vivo. Western blot and immunofluorescence were used to detect the autophagic flux, ER stress, ECM degradation, and apoptosis in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) treated by EPA. We also used puncture-induced IDD rats as experimental subjects to observe the therapeutic effect of EPA on IDD. Our findings indicated that EPA can effectively improve the autophagy activity in NPCs, inhibit the endoplasmic reticulum stress process, reduce the degree of cell apoptosis, and exert protective effects on the anabolism and catabolism of ECM. In addition, in vivo investigations demonstrated that EPA ameliorated the progression of puncture-induced IDD in rats. In conclusion, this study revealed the intrinsic mechanisms of EPA’s protective role in NPCs and its potential therapeutic significance for the treatment of IDD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Kaiqiang Sun ◽  
Jian Zhu ◽  
Chen Yan ◽  
Fudong Li ◽  
Fanqi Kong ◽  
...  

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) has been proved to be the dominating cause of disability in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases. Of the various etiological factors, intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) has been the dominating cause. In the past few decades, the role and changes of nerve systems, especially the peripheral sensory fibers and their neurotransmitters, in the induction and progression of IVDD have attracted growing concerns. The expression of many neuropeptides, such as SP, NPY, and CGRP, in the nociceptive pathways is increased during the progression of IVDD and responsible for the discogenic pain. Here, the role of CGRP in the progression of IVDD was firstly investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, we confirmed that human degenerated intervertebral disc tissue exhibited elevated expression of CGRP and its receptor. Secondly, in vitro experiments suggested that CGRP could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis in human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, as well as promote inflammation and degenerated phenotypes through activating NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Thirdly, CGRP receptor antagonist, Rimegepant, can ameliorate the adverse effects of CGRP imposed on NP cells, which were confirmed in vitro and in vivo. Our results will bring about a brand-new insight into the roles of neuromodulation in IVDD and related therapeutic attempts.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiling Yuan ◽  
Xinyi Wang ◽  
Liang Liu ◽  
Yongsong Cai ◽  
Xiaoming Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as novel drug and gene delivery tools. Current study aimed to elucidate the potential therapeutic role of human placental MSC (hPLMSC)-derived exosomes carrying antagomiR-4450 (EXO-antagomiR-4450) in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) progression. Methods Initially, the differentially expressed miRNAs related to IDD were identified by microarray analysis which provided data predicting the interaction between miR-4450 and ZNF121 in IDD. Next, miR-4450 and ZNF121 were elevated or silenced to determine their effects on the damage of NPCs treated with TNF-α. The therapeutic effects of EXO-antagomiR-4450 on nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) were verified both in vitro and in vivo, especially gait analysis and fluorescent molecular tomopraphy were used in live IDD mice. Results Our results revealed that miR-4450 was highly expressed, while ZNF121 was poorly expressed in IDD patients and NPCs treated with TNF-α. Furthermore, miR-4450 was identified to specifically target ZNF121. Additionally, the inhibition of miR-4450 exerted an alleviatory effect on the inflammation, apoptosis and damage of the NPCs by up-regulating ZNF121. Moreover, EXO-antagomiR-4450 retarded damage of NPCs in vitro, alleviated IDD damage and ameliorated gait abnormality in vivo. Conclusion hPLMSC-derived exosomes could be a feasible nanovehicle to deliver inhibitory oligonucleotides like antagomiR-4450 in IDD.


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