Abstract:
Introduction: Intervertebral disc degeneration often occurs in the elderly population, but in recent years, there has been an increasing incidence of disc degeneration in younger individuals, primarily with mild degeneration. Methods: In order to explore the underlying mechanisms of disc degeneration in both young and aging individuals, we collected four types of nucleus pulposus (NP) single-cell sequencing samples for analysis based on Pfirrmann grading: normal-young (NY) (Grade I), normal-old (NO) (Grade I), mild degenerative-young (MY) (Grade II-III), and mild degenerative-old (MO) (Grade II-III). Results: We found that most NP cells in NO and MY samples exhibited oxidative stress, which may be important pathogenic factors in NO and MY groups. On the other hand, NP cells in MO group exhibited endoplasmic reticulum stress. In terms of inflammation, myeloid cells were mainly present in the degenerative group, with the MY group showing a stronger immune response compared to the MO group. Interestingly, dendritic cells in the myeloid lineage played a critical role in the process of mild degeneration. Discussion: Our study investigated the molecular mechanisms of intervertebral disc degeneration from an age perspective, providing insights for improving treatment strategies for patients with disc degeneration at different age groups.
摘要:
简介:椎间盘退变常发生在老年人群中,但近年来,在年轻人中,椎间盘退变的发生率越来越高,主要是轻度退化。方法:为了探索年轻和衰老个体椎间盘退变的潜在机制,我们收集了四种类型的髓核(NP)单细胞测序样本,用于基于Pfirrmann分级的分析:正常-年轻(NY)(I级),正常年龄(NO)(I级),轻度退行性年轻(MY)(II-III级),和轻度退行性老化(MO)(II-III级)。结果:我们发现NO和MY样本中的大多数NP细胞表现出氧化应激,这可能是NO和MY组的重要致病因素。另一方面,MO组NP细胞表现为内质网应激。在炎症方面,髓系细胞主要存在于退化组中,与MO组相比,MY组显示出更强的免疫反应。有趣的是,髓系中的树突状细胞在轻度变性过程中发挥了关键作用。讨论:我们的研究从年龄的角度探讨了椎间盘退变的分子机制,为改善不同年龄段椎间盘退变患者的治疗策略提供见解。