Low back pain (LBP), frequently associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, is a major public health concern. LBP is currently managed by pharmacological treatments and, if unsuccessful, by invasive surgical procedures, which do not counteract the degenerative process. Considering that IVD cell depletion is critical in the degenerative process, the supplementation of IVD with reparative cells, associated or not with biomaterials, has been contemplated. Recently, the discovery of reparative stem/progenitor cells in the IVD has led to increased interest in the potential of endogenous repair strategies. Recruitment of these cells by specific signals might constitute an alternative strategy to cell transplantation. Here, we review the status of cell-based therapies for treating IVD degeneration and emphasize the current concept of endogenous repair as well as future perspectives. This review also highlights the challenges of the mobilization/differentiation of reparative progenitor cells through the delivery of biologics factors to stimulate IVD regeneration.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2018.04.017 | DOI Listing |
Int J Mol Sci
January 2025
A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites are endogenous DNA lesions widespread in human cells. Having no nucleobases, they are noncoding and promutagenic. AP site repair is generally initiated through strand incision by AP endonuclease 1 (APE1).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Laboratory for Functional and Metabolic Imaging (LIFMET), Institute of Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Station 3, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, a therapeutic approach utilizing low-level light, has garnered significant attention for its potential to modulate various biological processes. This study aimed at optimizing and investigating the effects of PBM on angiogenesis and mitochondrial metabolic activity. In vitro experiments using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were performed to assess PBM's impacts on cell migration, proliferation, endogenous protoporphyrin IX production, mitochondrial membrane potential, Rhodamine 123 fluorescence lifetime, mitochondrial morphology, and oxygen consumption.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomaterials
January 2025
Translational Medicine Research Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510280, China; Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), Fudan University, Guangzhou, 511462, China. Electronic address:
Cesarean section (CS) is highly prevalent surgery among females. However, current absorbable anti-adhesion membranes used clinically can partially prevent postoperative adhesions but show limited efficacy in tissue regeneration, leaving post-cesarean women at risk for severe complications including cesarean scar pregnancy, placenta previa, and uterine rupture. Herein, we designed a fully amniotic membrane (AM)-derived biomimetic nanostructural materials (AM-BNMs) as an anti-adhesion barrier, and validated its therapeutic efficacy in a rat CS model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNature
January 2025
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Germline BRCA2 loss-of function variants, which can be identified through clinical genetic testing, predispose to several cancers. However, variants of uncertain significance limit the clinical utility of test results. Thus, there is a need for functional characterization and clinical classification of all BRCA2 variants to facilitate the clinical management of individuals with these variants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLiver tissue engineering offers potential in liver transplantation, while the development of hydrogels for scalable scaffolds incorporating natural components and effective functionalities is ongoing. Here, we propose a novel microfluidic 3D printing hydrogel derived from decellularized fish liver extracellular matrix for liver regeneration. By decellularizing fish liver and combining it with gelatin methacryloyl, the hydrogel scaffold retains essential endogenous growth factors such as collagen and glycosaminoglycans.
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