Zhang Yang, Zhao Quanlai, Li Yifeng, Zhang Yu, Xiao Liang
School of Clinical Medicine, Wannan Medical College, No.22 Wenchang West Road, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, China.
Department of Spine Surgery, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, No. 2 Zheshan West Road, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, China.
Biomacromolecules. 2025 Aug 11;26(8):4936-4947. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5c00345. Epub 2025 Jul 9.
Intervertebral disc degenerative disease is a major contributor to chronic low back pain and has a profound impact on patients' quality of life. Nucleus pulposus tissue-derived stem cells (NPSCs) hold considerable promise for intervertebral disc repair due to their capacity for self-renewal and multipotent differentiation. However, challenges such as low survival rates and inefficient differentiation hinder their regenerative potential and therapeutic effectiveness, necessitating further optimization. In this study, we developed a composite system combining circFADS1-loaded microspheres with a hybrid hydrogel (HH) scaffold. This system provides a three-dimensional matrix and a bioactive microenvironment designed to enhance the differentiation capacity of NPSCs and facilitate intervertebral disc tissue repair. results demonstrated that the composite hydrogel supports NPSC growth and significantly improves their chondrogenic differentiation. Animal studies validated the system's ability to partially promote nucleus pulposus regeneration. This study presents a novel approach for tissue engineering-based treatments of degenerative disc disease.
椎间盘退行性疾病是慢性下腰痛的主要原因，对患者的生活质量有深远影响。髓核组织来源的干细胞（NPSCs）因其自我更新和多能分化能力，在椎间盘修复方面具有很大潜力。然而，低存活率和低效分化等挑战阻碍了它们的再生潜力和治疗效果，需要进一步优化。在本研究中，我们开发了一种将负载circFADS1的微球与混合水凝胶（HH）支架相结合的复合系统。该系统提供了一个三维基质和一个生物活性微环境，旨在增强NPSCs的分化能力并促进椎间盘组织修复。结果表明，复合水凝胶支持NPSCs生长并显著改善其软骨分化。动物研究验证了该系统部分促进髓核再生的能力。本研究提出了一种基于组织工程的退行性椎间盘疾病治疗新方法。
