PhD Defense: Breaking the Vicious Circle of Nucleus Pulposus Degeneration

Summary of dissertation

Did you know that lower back pain affects both people and dogs with a major impact on their quality of life? One of the main reasons for this is a degenerated intervertebral disc, the cushion between the vertebrae of the spine. The disc fails to function well due to a decay in healthy tissue within the center of the disc (nucleus pulposus) and the declining cell population fails to restore it which creates a vicious circle of further deterioration. This thesis contributes to advanced treatment strategies that can halt or even reverse disc degeneration, addressing an unmet medical need.

The work includes recommendations for harmonization and improving disc cell culture methodology accelerating the spine research field. New insights into specific features of disc cells can be used to better identify different cell types present within the disc in a healthy and diseased state. Furthermore, the work demonstrates that the factors present in healthy disc tissue can have restorative and anti-inflammatory effects on cells of the disc. Lastly, it reveals that these factors also have the potency to support and instruct advanced stem cells after injection enabling them to thrive within the harsh disc environment.

In conclusion, the findings highlight that the combination of factors derived of healthy disc tissue together with a suitable cell source seems promising to address important levels in the vicious circle of disc degeneration. This advanced treatment strategy shows the potential to functionally restore the intervertebral disc, enabling sustained pain relief.