a Department of Orthopedic Surgery , Rizhao Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital , Rizhao , China.
b School of Pharmaceutical Science , Jining Medical University , Rizhao , China.
Connect Tissue Res. 2019 May;60(3):209-218. doi: 10.1080/03008207.2018.1499731. Epub 2018 Aug 9.
Degeneration of the intervertebral discs, a natural progression of the aging process, is strongly implicated as a cause of low back pain. Aggrecan is the major structural proteoglycan in the extracellular matrix of the intervertebral disc. It is large, possessing numerous glycosaminoglycan chains and the ability to form aggregates in association with hyaluronan. The negatively charged glycosaminoglycan side chains in aggrecan in the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral discs can bind electrostatically to polar water molecules, which are crucial for maintaining the well-hydrated state that enables the discs to undergo reversible deformation under compressive loading. A more in-depth understanding of the molecular basis of disc degeneration is essential to the design of therapeutic solutions to treat degenerative discs. Within this scope, we discuss the current knowledge concerning the structure and function of aggrecan in intervertebral disc degeneration. These data suggest that aggrecan plays a central role in the function and degeneration of the intervertebral disc, which may suggest potential aggrecan-based therapies for disc regeneration.
椎间盘退变是衰老过程的自然进展，强烈提示其为腰痛的原因。聚集蛋白聚糖是椎间盘细胞外基质的主要结构蛋白聚糖。它很大，具有许多糖胺聚糖链，并具有与透明质酸结合形成聚集物的能力。椎间盘髓核中的聚集蛋白聚糖中的带负电荷的糖胺聚糖侧链可以静电结合极性水分子，这对于保持水合状态至关重要，使椎间盘能够在压缩载荷下进行可逆变形。深入了解椎间盘退变的分子基础对于设计治疗退行性椎间盘的治疗方法至关重要。在这个范围内，我们讨论了关于椎间盘退变中聚集蛋白聚糖的结构和功能的现有知识。这些数据表明，聚集蛋白聚糖在椎间盘的功能和退变中起着核心作用，这可能提示了基于聚集蛋白聚糖的椎间盘再生的潜在治疗方法。
