The role of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and bioactive hydrogels in promoting regeneration of degenerated intervertebral discs
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is one of the main causes of chronic low back pain. In severe cases, surgical removal of the protruding disc is required in the late stages. Given the limited self-regeneration ability of the nucleus pulposus, a regenerative repair method remains necessary. In this study, a double-network hydrogel based on oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) and dopamine-modified gelatin (GelDA) was developed and combined with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) for repairing IDD. The hydrogel exhibited excellent mechanical properties, biodegradability, and a gel-like structure mimicking that of the intervertebral disc, thereby promoting UC-MSC proliferation and differentiation. In addition, the hydrogel also exhibited antibacterial and self-healing properties. In a rat model of IDD, the OHA-GelDA@UC-MSCs hydrogel was shown to slow down the progression of disc degeneration.
Authors
- Yukun Du (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1261-5638)
- Qiaowen Tan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4375-5927)
- Zhiyu Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8101-2083)
- Jiale Shao
- Manman Gao
- Zhongyuan He (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6194-0720)
- Yongming Xi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2921-0699)
- Zhen Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9754-6389)
- Jianmin Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6841-7943)
- Jianfeng Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5783-0804)
- Jiaxiang Zhou
- Zhuo Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9959-8617)
- Cairong Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2475-3018)
- Wei Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4628-8893)
- Jianyi Li
Institutions
- Qingdao University (CN)
- Sun Yat-sen University (CN)
- Dalian Medical University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- AO Foundation (CH)
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (CN)
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (CN)
- Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University (CN)
- Fuzhou Second Hospital (CN)
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University (CN)
- Fujian Provincial Hospital (CN)
- Yantaishan Hospital (CN)
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (CN)
- Chongqing Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Orthopaedics
- Published
- 2025-05-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advop.2025.03.001
- Primary Topic
- Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- AO Foundation
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Beijing Municipal Health Commission
- Taishan Scholar Project of Shandong Province
- Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality