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Review
. 2022 Feb 2;23(3):1715.
doi: 10.3390/ijms23031715.

The Proteolysis of ECM in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Huaizhen Liang  1 , Rongjing Luo  1 , Gaocai Li  1 , Weifeng Zhang  1 , Yu Song  1 , Cao Yang  1
Affiliations
Review

The Proteolysis of ECM in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Huaizhen Liang et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is a pathological process that commonly occurs throughout the human life span and is a major cause of lower back pain. Better elucidation of the molecular mechanisms involved in disc degeneration could provide a theoretical basis for the development of lumbar disc intervention strategies. In recent years, extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis has received much attention due to its relevance to the mechanical properties of IVDs. ECM proteolysis mediated by a variety of proteases is involved in the pathological process of disc degeneration. Here, we discuss in detail the relationship between the IVD as well as the ECM and the role of ECM proteolysis in the degenerative process of the IVD. Targeting ECM proteolysis-associated proteases may be an effective means of intervention in IDD.

Keywords: ECM; IDD; protease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest in relation to this review.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
General mechanisms of the pathological process of IDD and the role of proteases in the imbalance of ECM metabolism. Proteolysis activation leads to an imbalance in ECM homeostasis when the IVD is subjected to various stimuli, in which proteases play a key role.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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