Colombini Alessandra, Lombardi Giovanni, Corsi Massimiliano Marco, Banfi Giuseppe
Laboratory of Cell Culture and Molecular Biology, IRCCS, Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Via R. Galeazzi 4, 20161 Milan, Italy.
Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2008;40(5):837-42. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2007.12.011. Epub 2007 Dec 28.
Intervertebral disc degeneration is a common invalidating disorder that can affect the musculoskeletal apparatus in both younger and older ages. The chief component of the intervertebral disc is the highly organized extracellular matrix; maintenance of its organization is essential for correct spinal mechanics. The matrix components, mainly proteoglycans and collagens, undergo a slow and continuous cell-mediated turnover process that enables disc cells to adapt their environment to external stimuli. Cellular senescence and a history of chronic abnormal loading can upset this balance, leading to progressive tissue failure that results in disc degeneration. Although biological treatment approaches to disc repair are still far to come, advances in our understanding of disc biochemistry and in defining the role of genetic inheritance have provided a starting point for developing new concepts in the diagnosis, therapy and prevention of disc degeneration.
椎间盘退变是一种常见的致残性疾病，可影响年轻人和老年人的肌肉骨骼系统。椎间盘的主要成分是高度有序的细胞外基质；维持其有序性对于正确的脊柱力学至关重要。基质成分，主要是蛋白聚糖和胶原蛋白，经历一个缓慢且持续的细胞介导的周转过程，使椎间盘细胞能够使其环境适应外部刺激。细胞衰老和慢性异常负荷史会破坏这种平衡，导致进行性组织衰竭，进而导致椎间盘退变。尽管椎间盘修复的生物治疗方法仍有待发展，但我们对椎间盘生物化学的理解以及对基因遗传作用的界定方面的进展，为开发椎间盘退变的诊断、治疗和预防新概念提供了一个起点。
