Potential of Human Nucleus Pulposus-Like Cells Derived From Umbilical Cord to Treat Degenerative Disc Disease

This research explores a potential cell therapy for degenerative disc disease (DDD), a condition causing neck and back pain due to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. The study uses nucleus pulposus (NP)-like cells (NPCs) derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to regenerate degenerated IVDs in a rabbit model. The results suggest that transplanted NPCs can survive, integrate into the damaged IVDs, and improve their structure and function, offering a promising avenue for treating DDD.

• 1
  NPCs derived from MSCs expressed NP-specific genes (SOX9, ACAN, COL2, FOXF1, and KRT19).
• 2
  Transplanted cells survived and integrated into the degenerated IVDs, leading to significant improvement in histology, cellularity, and water content.
• 3
  Expression of human genes and proteins (SOX9, ACAN, COL2, FOXF1, etc.) suggests NP biosynthesis due to NPC transplantation, indicating a molecular mechanism for NP regeneration.