Analysis of Key Differential Metabolites in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Based on Untargeted Metabolomics

Intervertebral disc degeneration disease (IVDD) is a prevalent orthopedic condition that causes chronic lower back pain, imposing a substantial economic burden on patients and society. Despite its high incidence, the pathophysiological mechanisms of IVDD remain incompletely understood.

This study aimed to identify metabolomic alterations in IVDD patients and explore the key metabolic pathways and metabolites involved in its pathogenesis.

Serum samples from 20 IVDD patients and 20 healthy controls were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The identified metabolites were mapped to metabolic pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database.

Significant alterations were observed in metabolites such as 2-methyl-1,3-cyclohexadiene, stearoyl sphingomyelin, methylcysteine, L-methionine, and cis, cis-muconic acid. These metabolites were involved in pathways including glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, cyanoamino acid metabolism, and the citrate cycle (TCA cycle).

The identified metabolic alterations provide insights into the pathogenesis of IVDD and suggest potential therapeutic targets for future investigation.