Open Access
Pyroptosis and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Implications
Author(s) -
Yuying Ge,
Yuying Chen,
Chijiao Guo,
Huan Luo,
Fangda Fu,
Weifeng Ji,
Chengliang Wu,
Hongfeng Ruan
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of inflammation research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.656
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 1178-7031
DOI - 10.2147/jir.s382069
Subject(s) - degeneration (medical) , intervertebral disc , pyroptosis , medicine , neuroscience , pathology , anatomy , biology , inflammation , inflammasome
Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem worldwide, resulting in great patient suffering and great challenges for the social health system. Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) is widely acknowledged as one of the key causes of LBP. Accumulating evidence suggests that aberrant pyroptosis of IVD cells is involved in the pathogenesis of IVDD progression, however, the comprehensive roles of pyroptosis in IVDD have not been fully established, leaving attempts to treat IVDD with anti-pyroptosis approaches questionable. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of pyroptosis and emphasize the effects of IVD cell pyroptosis on the pathological progression of IVDD, including secretion of cytokines, nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis and autophagy, accelerated extracellular matrix degradation, annulus fibrosus rupture, cartilage endplate calcification, vascularization, sensory and sympathetic fiber neoinnervation, and infiltrating lymphatic vessels. Finally, we discuss several interventions used to treat IVDD by targeting pyroptosis. This review provides novel insights into the crucial role of IVD cell pyroptosis in IVDD pathogenesis, and could be informative for developing novel therapeutic approaches for IVDD and LBP.