Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2025
A Proinflammatory, Degenerative Organ Culture Model to Simulate Early-Stage Intervertebral Disc Disease.
Published on: February 14, 2021
The Effect of Gut Microbiota on the Progression of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Bo Yao1, Youquan Cai1, Weiguo Wang2
1Department of Spine Surgery, Want want hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Objective:
Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of back pain, and its treatment is a serious socio-economic burden. The safety and treatment of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been established. However, the relationship between FMT and IDD still unclear. We aimed to explore whether FMT plays a role in IDD to provide a reference for the treatment of IDD.
Methods:
An experimental model of IDD was established using 2-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. FMT was performed by intragastric gavage of IDD rats with a fecal bacterial solution. Rat serum, feces, and vertebral disc tissue were collected after surgery for 2 months. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3, MMP-13, Collagen II, and aggrecan in the serum or vertebral disc tissue were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, or western blotting. We also examined the pathology of the vertebral disc tissue using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and safranin O-fast green staining. Finally, we examined the gut microbiota in rat feces using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing.
Results:
We found that the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MMP-3, MMP-13, NLRP3 and Caspase-1 increased in the IDD group rats. In contrast, Collagen II and aggrecan levels were downregulated. Additionally, vertebral disc tissue was severely damaged in the IDD group, with disordered cell arrangement and uneven safranin coloration. FMT reversed the effects of IDD modeling on these factors and alleviated cartilage tissue damage. In addition, FMT increased the gut microbiota diversity and microbial abundance in rats treated with IDD.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that FMT has a positive effect in maintaining cellular stability in the vertebral disc and alleviating histopathological damage. It affects the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota in rats with IDD. Therefore, FMT may serve as a promising target for amelioration of IDD.
Insights
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) shows promise for treating intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). FMT improved cellular stability and reduced tissue damage in a rat model, positively impacting gut microbiota diversity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Science
- Microbiology
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a primary cause of back pain, posing a significant socio-economic challenge.
- Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an established therapeutic approach, but its role in IDD remains unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential therapeutic effects of FMT on IDD.
- To elucidate the relationship between gut microbiota and IDD.
Main Methods:
- An experimental rat model of IDD was established.
- FMT was administered via intragastric gavage.
- Biochemical markers, histopathology, and gut microbiota composition (16S rRNA sequencing) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- IDD induced increased inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and matrix-degrading enzymes (MMP-3, MMP-13), with decreased structural proteins (Collagen II, aggrecan).
- FMT intervention reversed these molecular changes and alleviated histopathological damage in vertebral discs.
- FMT treatment enhanced gut microbiota diversity and abundance in IDD model rats.
Conclusions:
- FMT demonstrates a positive effect on maintaining vertebral disc cellular stability and mitigating histopathological damage.
- FMT influences the gut microbiota composition in rats with IDD.
- Fecal microbiota transplantation emerges as a potential therapeutic target for ameliorating intervertebral disc degeneration.
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