Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry
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Intervertebral disk degeneration (IDD) is the most common diagnosis in patients with low back pain, a main cause of musculoskeletal disability in the world. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) β is the most important member of the IL-1 family, and has a strong pro-inflammatory activity by stimulating the secretion of multiple pro-inflammatory mediators. ⋯ In this review, after a brief description of IL-1β signaling, we mainly focus on the expression profiles, roles and therapeutic potential of IL-1β in IDD. A better understanding will help develop novel IL-1β-based therapeutic interventions for degenerative disk disease.
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Innate immunity is the first barrier to fight off bacteria, and partly relies on the engagement of the membrane coreceptor CD14. A product of cleavage of CD14, the soluble subtype of CD14 (sCD14-ST) or presepsin, is released in circulation after activation of defense mechanisms. Presepsin can be detected by biochemical methods and therefore appears as an emergent biomarker of infection. ⋯ Performances place presepsin at the level of PCT who is used as a comparator. Biomarkers of infection are futile to diagnose infection with direct access to bacteria (as urinary tract infection, meningitis), but their use can be advocated to ascertain unclear diagnosis. Future developments of presepsin will probably use clinical models with a Bayesian approach to ascertain the additional value of the biomarker at bedside.
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Chronic low back pain is generally attributed to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD), which is closely associated with apoptosis, extracellular matrix (ECM) disruption, cell proliferation and inflammatory response. Currently, there is no clinical therapy targeting the pathophysiology of disc degeneration. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional levels. miRNAs not only regulate many normal physiological processes, but also play an important role in the development of most disorders, including degenerative disc disease. ⋯ This review will mainly focus on the expression profiles, roles, and therapeutic implications of miRNAs in IDD. With continued efforts, restoration of dysregulated miRNA expression may represent a promising biological treatment approach for mitigating or reversing IVD degeneration.