Current Issue

Potential regulatory role of macrophages in discogenic pain

SUN Fei¹, SUN Yu¹, LIU En-Xu¹, YANG Lei², LI Zhao-Yong², YANG Shao-Feng^2,*

¹Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China；²Department of Orthopedics, the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410208, China

Abstract

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of low back pain. Immune cells play an extremely important role in regulating the progression of IDD by interacting with nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Healthy NP tissue is a vascular-free and immune-privileged tissue that does not normally interact with macrophages. However, the establishment of neovascularization channels in damaged intervertebral discs has led to extensive cross-talk between NP and macrophages, with different results depending on microenvironmental stimuli. Based on this, this review reviewed the correlation between IDD and low back pain, summarized the source and function of macrophages, and discussed the possible regulatory mechanism between macrophages and discogenic pain. Finally, potential therapies targeting macrophages to delay IDD in recent years were also discussed, aiming to emphasize the important role of immunology in IDD and provide a new direction for the prevention and treatment of IDD.

Key words: intervertebral disc degeneration; Macrophage; inflammation; immunity

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 杨少锋　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0054

Citing This Article：

SUN Fei, SUN Yu, LIU En-Xu, YANG Lei, LI Zhao-Yong, YANG Shao-Feng. Potential regulatory role of macrophages in discogenic pain. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (5): 979-988 (in Chinese with English abstract).