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Review
. 2021 Aug 29;10(9):2241.
doi: 10.3390/cells10092241.

Stem Cells and Exosomes: New Therapies for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Zoe Krut  1   2 , Gadi Pelled  1   2   3 , Dan Gazit  1   2   3   4 , Zulma Gazit  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Stem Cells and Exosomes: New Therapies for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Zoe Krut et al. Cells. .

Abstract

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) occurs as a result of an imbalance of the anabolic and catabolic processes in the intervertebral disc, leading to an alteration in the composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM), loss of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. Degeneration of the IVD occurs naturally with age, but mechanical trauma, lifestyle factors and certain genetic abnormalities can increase the likelihood of symptomatic disease progression. IVDD, often referred to as degenerative disc disease (DDD), poses an increasingly substantial financial burden due to the aging population and increasing incidence of obesity in the United States. Current treatments for IVDD include pharmacological and surgical interventions, but these lack the ability to stop the progression of disease and restore the functionality of the IVD. Biological therapies have been evaluated but show varying degrees of efficacy in reversing disc degeneration long-term. Stem cell-based therapies have shown promising results in the regeneration of the IVD, but face both biological and ethical limitations. Exosomes play an important role in intercellular communication, and stem cell-derived exosomes have been shown to maintain the therapeutic benefit of their origin cells without the associated risks. This review highlights the current state of research on the use of stem-cell derived exosomes in the treatment of IVDD.

Keywords: disc degeneration; disc regeneration; exosomes; intervertebral disc; stem cells.

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Conflict of interest statement

G.P., D.G. and Z.G. declare that they are co-inventors of a pending patent application titled: A method for regenerating the intervertebral disc with notochordal cells. Application number: US 20200093961. Applicant: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The patent application covers the use of induced notochordal stem cells for IVD regeneration. Z.K. declares no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stem cell-derived exosomes for IVDD treatment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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