20.500.12556/DiRROS-28825 Degenerative disease of intervertebral disc a narrative review of pathogenesis, clinical implications and therapies This narrative review examines degenerative disc disease (DDD), a major cause of chronic back pain and disability worldwide. It is a multifactorial condition resulting from a complex interplay of genetic, mechanical, metabolic, and environmental factors that progressively impair disc structure and function. The pathophysiology of DDD involves disruption of extracellular matrix homeostasis, cellular senescence, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation mediated by cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. These processes are further modulated by signalling pathways including NF-κB, MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin, leading to matrix degradation, dehydration, and loss of disc height. Epidemiological studies highlight the contribution of lifestyle and metabolic disorders, such as obesity, smoking, and diabetes, to disease progression. Traditional conservative and surgical treatments primarily alleviate symptoms but do not halt or reverse degeneration. In contrast, recent advances in molecular biology and regenerative medicine have opened new therapeutic avenues. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy, biomaterial scaffolds, and gene-based interventions aim to restore disc homeostasis by promoting matrix synthesis and suppressing catabolic activity. Despite promising experimental results, clinical translation remains limited by challenges in cell viability, delivery methods, and long-term efficacy. Future research integrating molecular, biomechanical, and regenerative strategies offers the potential for true biological repair and disc regeneration. intervertebral disc degenerative disc disease oxidative stress cytokines cellular senescence true false false Angleški jezik Ni določen Neznano 2026-04-08 13:40:03 2026-04-08 13:40:03 2026-04-09 03:51:22 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 29. 1. 2026; Št. članka: 40; str. 1-39 iss. 1 Vol. 13 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno apc 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 616.7 2306-5354 10.3390/bioengineering13010040 266556675 RAZ_Gradisnik_Lidija_2026.pdf RAZ_Gradisnik_Lidija_2026.pdf 1 1F2772B317698D6511FE9A423A5C4E04 312ce10154d270ed117999754426b937673ab7a9973edc875de89180fc5e04b5 d7124158-333f-11f1-b941-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=42950 https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/13/1/40 1 b13ed966-333f-11f1-b941-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=42949 Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana 0 0 0