Stem cell therapy for degenerative disc disease: A review

Shreya  SK; Pushpa  Agrawal; Shivandappa

doi:10.30574/gscbps.2021.15.3.0173

Authors

Shreya SK Department of Biotechnology RV College of Engineering, Bangalore-560-059, Karnataka, India
Pushpa Agrawal Department of Biotechnology RV College of Engineering, Bangalore-560-059, Karnataka, India
Shivandappa Department of Biotechnology RV College of Engineering, Bangalore-560-059, Karnataka, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2021.15.3.0173

Keywords:

Degenerative disc disease (DDD), Cell therapy, Nucleus pulposis (NP) cells, Intervertebral disc stem cells (IVDSCs), Degenerated disc therapy

Abstract

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder associated with lower back pain that typically occurs with age but can also be precipitated by other factors. At present, the available treatments such as physical therapy, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and surgical interventions are aimed at addressing the symptoms of the disease but not the degeneration process. Among the various biological disc repair therapies, cell therapy has gained interest as it offers a disc regenerative potential while being minimally invasive. Stem cells have the unique property of differentiating into chondrocytes (specialized cells found in cartilage) that resemble Nucleus Pulposus (NP) cells of the disc. Therefore, stem cells can be used to replace the lost NP cells in the degenerated disc. This reduces inflammation and helps in the regeneration of the degenerated disc. In vitro studies, several animal-based studies, and a few human pilot studies have demonstrated safety and efficacy in the treatment of DDD with different types of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSCs), and Intervertebral Disc Stem Cells (IVDSCs). This review aims to address the current status, recent advancements, and different types of stem cells in degenerated disc therapy.

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