Can extracellular vesicles be considered as a potential frontier in the treatment of intervertebral disc disease?

As a global public health problem, low back pain (LBP) caused by intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) seriously affects patients' quality of life. In addition, the prevalence of IDD tends to be younger, which brings a huge burden to individuals and society economically. Current treatments do not delay or reverse the progression of IDD. The emergence of biologic therapies has brought new hope for the treatment of IDD. Among them, extracellular vesicles (EVs), as nanoscale bioactive substances that mediate cellular communication, have now produced many surprising results in the research of the treatment of IDD. This article reviews the mechanisms and roles of EVs in delaying IDD and describes the prospects and challenges of EVs.

Automated summary

Low back pain caused by intervertebral disc degeneration is a global public health problem that significantly impacts patients' quality of life and imposes a huge economic burden on individuals and society. Current treatments cannot reverse or delay the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration. The emergence of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a biologic therapy offers new hope for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.