Emerging role and therapeutic implication of mTOR signalling in intervertebral disc degeneration

• Published in: Cell proliferation 2023-01, Vol.56 (1), p.e13338-n/a
• Main Authors: Chen, Hai‐Wei, Zhou, Jian‐Wei, Zhang, Guang‐Zhi, Luo, Zhang‐Bin, Li, Lei, Kang, Xue‐Wen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino acids; Animals; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Backache; Biosynthesis; Cartilage; Cell growth; Collagen; Degeneration; Degenerative disc disease; Degenerative diseases; Development and progression; Energy; Extracellular matrix; Genetics; Growth factors; Health aspects; Homeostasis; Humans; Hypoxia; Inflammation; Inflammatory response; Intervertebral Disc - pathology; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration - pathology; Intervertebral discs; Kinases; Lipids; Low back pain; Mammals - metabolism; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Metabolism; Nucleus Pulposus - metabolism; Nutrient deficiency; Oxidative stress; Pathogenesis; Physiological aspects; Protein-serine/threonine kinase; Proteins; Rapamycin; Senescence; Signal Transduction; Signaling; Sirolimus; TOR protein; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Transcription factors; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF
• ISSN: 0960-7722; 1365-2184
• DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13338

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), an important cause of chronic low back pain (LBP), is considered the pathological basis for various spinal degenerative diseases. A series of factors, including inflammatory response, oxidative stress, autophagy, abnormal mechanical stress, nutritional deficiency, and genetics, lead to reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis by intervertebral disc (IVD) cells and accelerate IDD progression. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a vital role in diverse degenerative diseases. Recent studies have shown that mTOR signalling is involved in the regulation of autophagy, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, ECM homeostasis, cellular senescence, and apoptosis in IVD cells. Accordingly, we reviewed the mechanism of mTOR signalling in the pathogenesis of IDD to provide innovative ideas for future research and IDD treatment. Abnormal autophagy, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, ECM degeneration, senescence and apoptosis are involoved in the occurrence of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a vital role in IDD progression. Recent studies have shown that mTOR signalling is involved in the regulation of autophagy, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, ECM homeostasis, cellular senescence, and apoptosis in IVD cells. We reviewed the mechanism of mTOR signalling in the pathogenesis of IDD to provide innovative ideas for future research and IDD treatment.