Title:New Hope for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Bone Marrow Mesenchymal
Stem Cells and Exosomes Derived from Bone Marrow Mesenchymal
Stem Cell Transplantation
Volume: 22
Issue: 4
Author(s): Xiao-bo Zhang*, Xiang-yi Chen, Jin Qi, Hai-yu Zhou, Xiao-bing Zhao, Yi-cun Hu, Rui-hao Zhang, De-chen Yu, Xi-dan Gao, Ke-ping Wang and Lin Ma
Affiliation:
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiao tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710000, PR China
Keywords:
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), exosome, intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), transplantation, therapy, low back pain (LBP).
Abstract: Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs), multidirectional cells with self-renewal
capacity, can differentiate into many cell types and play essential roles in tissue healing and regenerative
medicine. Cell experiments and in vivo research in animal models have shown that BMSCs
can repair degenerative discs by promoting cell proliferation and expressing Extracellular Matrix
(ECM) components, such as type II collagen and protein-polysaccharides. Delaying or reversing
the Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD) process at an etiological level may be an effective
strategy. However, despite increasingly in-depth research, some deficiencies in cell transplantation
timing and strategy remain, preventing the clinical application of cell transplantation. Exosomes exhibit
the characteristics of the mother cells from which they are secreted and can inhibit Nucleus
Pulposus Cell (NPC) apoptosis and delay IDD through intercellular communication. Furthermore,
the use of exosomes effectively avoids problems associated with cell transplantation, such as immune
rejection. This manuscript introduces almost all of the BMSCs and exosomes derived from
BMSCs (BMSCs-Exos) described in the IDD literature. Many challenges regarding the use of cell
transplantation and therapeutic exosome intervention for IDD remain to be overcome.