英国爱丁堡大学与布里斯托大学的研究团队利用斑马鱼模型发现，一种已广泛用于治疗骨质疏松症的药物——双磷酸盐可以阻止脊椎矿物质堆积和脊椎融合 [1]。该研究表明，胶原蛋白IX基因缺陷会导致脊椎矿物质异常沉积，进而引发类似人类椎间盘退变的病理变化 [1]。这一发现为长期困扰患者的背痛治疗提供了新的药物干预思路 [1]。
除双磷酸盐外，研究还发现减少进食和脂肪代谢抑制剂也能减缓脊椎损伤 [1]。该研究涉及脂肪代谢和磷酸盐调节两个关键生物过程 [1]。项目领导者Dr. Erika Kague表示："手术已经是椎间盘病的唯一真正答案数十年，我们的斑马鱼研究指出了几种减缓脊椎硬化的方法，包括一种已在患者中安全使用的药物" [1]。该研究由Arthritis UK和BBSRC资助，已发表在《Communications Biology》期刊 [1]。在英国，约9.5百万人患有背痛 [1]。
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have identified a potential new treatment approach for intervertebral disc degeneration, a condition affecting millions worldwide. Using zebrafish models, the team discovered that defects in the collagen IX gene trigger mineral accumulation and vertebral fusion in the spine, processes similar to those seen in human disc degeneration disease [1]. The study found that bisphosphonates—drugs already safely used to treat osteoporosis—can reduce mineral buildup and prevent vertebral fusion, alongside two other therapeutic approaches: caloric restriction and inhibition of fat metabolism [1].
The findings offer a significant shift in treatment options for back pain sufferers. According to Dr. Erika Kague, a researcher involved in the study, "Surgery has been the only real answer to disc disease for decades, and our zebrafish research points to several ways of slowing spinal hardening, including one drug already used safely in patients" [1]. The research was funded by Arthritis UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and has been published in Communications Biology [1]. With approximately 9.5 million people in the United Kingdom experiencing back pain, these results could provide a much-needed alternative to surgical intervention [1].