Profiling extra cellular matrix core proteome of human fetal nucleus pulposus in search for regenerative targets

Intervertebral disc degeneration is accompanied by a loss of Extra-cellular matrix (ECM) content due to an imbalance in anabolic and catabolic pathways. Identifying ECM proteins with anabolic and/or regenerative potential could be the key to developing regenerative therapies. Since human fetal discs grow and develop very rapidly, studying these discs may provide valuable insights on proteins with regenerative potential. This study compares core matrisome of 9 fetal and 7 healthy adult (age 22-79) nucleus pulposus (NP), using a proteomic and bioinformatic approach. In order to assess whether the protein that decrease from fetus to healthy adult NP’s further decrease in severely degenerated discs, expression levels of all proteins of interest that were identified in regenerative pathways were used for an additional analysis

椎间盘退变（Intervertebral disc degeneration）伴随细胞外基质（Extra-cellular matrix, ECM）含量丢失，其根源在于合成代谢与分解代谢通路失衡。鉴定具有合成代谢或再生潜能的ECM蛋白，或是开发再生治疗手段的关键突破口。由于人类胎儿椎间盘生长发育极为迅速，对其开展研究或能为识别具有再生潜能的蛋白提供宝贵见解。本研究采用蛋白质组学与生物信息学方法，对比了9例胎儿髓核（nucleus pulposus, NP）与7例年龄介于22至79岁的健康成人髓核的核心基质组（core matrisome）。为探究从胎儿髓核到健康成人髓核中表达下调的蛋白，是否在重度退变椎间盘内进一步出现表达下调，本研究利用再生通路中所有目标蛋白的表达水平开展了额外分析。